A Thousand Butterflies
by YukinokawaiiChan
Summary: Serenity is surprised to discover that she has amnesia and the only thing she remembered was her life before she met the Prince Darien. What's going on? The worse thing is that the prince is missing and something suspicious is happening in the castle! FIN
1. Picture Frame

~C H A P T E R O N E~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Don't forget me." He said. "Even If I would try I could never do it!" She said sadly wiping the blood in her hands. He slowly closed his eyes and whispered for the very last time. "Just don't. I love you." She placed her head in his bloody shirt and wept sadly ignoring her own wound that was also bleeding profusely. Finally, her breath stopped and she laid beside him in the ground.  
  
"Don't forget me. Don't forget me. Don't forget me." It echoed in her head before the darkness engulfed her mind and body. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
FRANCE, 1875  
  
Serenity opened her eyes and stared at the chandelier above her. She sat up straight and looked around. She was inside a big room with two large windows on each side of the room with white silk curtains. The floor was carpeted and the room was fully furnished with expensive furniture and beside her was a wooden oak table that was filled with fresh food consisting of French toast, omelet, scones, fruits, thin slices of ham and hot tea. She rubbed her eyes again to see if she hallucinating or not. She could not believe what was happening to her. Ever since she was a child, Serenity was already an orphan who didn't have a home and she was always transferring from one home to another. She was used to living like a peasant and doing all the work but now, she couldn't recall why she was in this rich place. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted when a maid entered her room. "Miss, you should eat your breakfast." The maid said sternly, her aged eyes showing signs of stress and years of hardship. "Where am I?" She asked the old woman. The maid looked at her strangely. "You don't know?" The maid asked obviously confused herself. "I don't know." Serenity sighed. The woman opened her mouth when a handsome young man about Serenity's age entered the room. "Good morning princess! How do you feel?" He asked cheerfully. "Princess?" asked Serenity with a gasp. How ever did a lonely orphan suddenly become a princess? She thought. The handsome guy looked at the maid and the maid left immediately. "Where am I and why did you call me princess?" Serenity asked him softly. "You don't remember do you?" The guy asked her looking at her straight in the eyes. Serenity shook her head and blushed at his intense gaze. "You are Princess Serenity of France." He said a moment later. "I'm sorry but I'm only an orphan. You must be mistaking me for somebody else." Serenity interrupted and started to get off the bed but the boy only laughed so hard, his chestnut hair falling in his face. "You'll never get over your honest ways!" He announced and laughed again. Serenity frowned and looked at the laughing boy in front of her. "What's so funny?" She asked him but the boy continued to laugh harder. "Fine! I'm leaving!" Serena screamed and marched to the door. "Wait!" The boy said and grabbed her hand. "You have amnesia, princess. I'll tell you the whole story if you sit down and eat breakfast." He said. Serenity sat down and popped a scone in her mouth. "Tell me." She demanded.  
  
"You married my brother three months ago who is the Prince of France and that makes you princess." He said. "By the way, my name is Danny. I mean you knew me before but then you have amnesia so you don't know me now." Serenity smiled and hugged the guy in front of her. "Danny! What happened to me and why did I marry your brother?" She cried. Danny stroked her golden hair and said softly, "You changed my brother, Serena. He loves you and you love him but two months ago somebody planned to kill you. A jealous countess who envied you so much but he saved you and you only receive a minor blow and then you were in comma for two months." Serenity gasped and broke away from Danny and brushed her long golden hair. "Danny, may I see my husband?" Serenity asked in a rush eager to thank him for saving her life and shower him all her love and life. Danny was quiet. " He disappeared, Serenity. When you were in a comma, he was in a hospital because his injury was greater than yours but one day he suddenly disappeared from all of us." "No!" Serenity screamed. Tears brimming down her eyes. She looked at a picture frame near the window table and saw her in a beautiful silver corseted gown decorated with studs of Diamond and on her head was a tiara. The man beside her was wearing a beautiful tuxedo and had hair that was as black as the night and eyes as blue as the sea. He is the most handsome man Serenity has ever seen and he is Darien, Prince of France. The man she loves and the man who risked his life to save hers. Serenity grabbed the frame crying and hugged it tightly in her chest. "Darien! Darien!" She cried. Danny hugged Serena tightly. "Shh! It's all right! We're going to find him someday." Serenity wiped her tears and looked at Danny. "But he's not well and he's disappeared and I feel so guilty! I can't even remember our memory together." Danny held Serenity's face with both of his hands and said, "Don't worry. The time will come when he will come back. I am sure because if he knows that your alive and well. He will surely come back here." Serenity sniffed and kissed Danny in his forehead. "Thank you, brother." She said and watched Danny as he walked towards the door but before leaving Danny said something that made her feel nostalgic. "Sister Serenity, please don't call me brother because before when you weren't married to my brother. I held great feelings for you that is beyond friendship but you gave your heart to him so please if you could just call me, Danny." He said gently. "I'm sorry for everything, Danny." Serenity smiled weakly trying to figure out the nostalgic feeling in her stomach.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hey! That was chapter one. Chapter two is "Memories." Please review and tell me what you think of my stories. That's all god bless!(^^) Jan e! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	2. Memories

C H A P T E R 2: M E M O R I E S  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Enjoy and remember to review! Ciao!   
  


* * *

  
"Serenity! What are you doing there?" Asked an open-mouthed Danny staring at Serenity who was lying down at the flowerbeds in the castle's garden.  
  
She slowly opened her eyes, adjusting her vision of Danny and all the flowers surrounding her. "Leave me alone, Danny. I want to sleep."  
  
"If you want to sleep. You have a big bed in your room!" Danny said stubbornly and sat down beside Serenity.  
  
"I want to sleep here, it smells good." Serenity mumbled sleepily.  
  
Danny smiled while looking at the beautiful golden-haired princess lying down the grass and flowers. Suddenly he recalled something.  
  
Flashback...  
  
"Where is Serenity?" Darien asked Danny angrily. "I swear if she's hurt. I'm going to make your life a living hell!" Darien swore.  
  
"Gee, what a lovable brother!" Danny sighed and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Danny!" Darien shouted threateningly.  
  
"Okay! She's in your favorite garden." Danny said exasperatedly, raising his hands up as a sign of surrender.  
  
Darien gave Danny a glare and left hurriedly and Danny followed his elder brother. When they arrived in the garden, Serenity was lying down in the flowerbeds snoring slightly and her hair scattered prettily covering the ground with yellow strands.  
  
"Isn't she the most beautiful girl you have ever seen?" Darien asked him with a tender voice he had never heard before in his whole life.  
  
"Yes, she is the most beautiful indeed." Danny agreed and stared at the pretty serene girl who made his brother's life a paradise. "Maybe we should bring her to her bed." He suggested.  
  
"Serenity, we'll take you to your bed. It's much more comfortable there." Darien nudged her slightly while stroking her soft, blonde hair.  
  
Serenity opened her large aquamarine eyes and turned to her other side and slept again.  
  
"Serenity! Wake up." Danny said while laughing at her. "Okay! If you won't then I'll move you upstairs!" He proclaimed.  
  
Serenity sat up straight and rubs her eyes. "Danny! Why do you always destroy lovely sleep? I want to sleep here. The smell of the roses makes me sleep and it gives me sweet dreams too!"  
  
"If that's what you want, you can sleep here all day long." Darien said to Serenity while kissing her hand.  
  
"Well, I'm awake thanks to you two!" Serenity pouted and giggled when Darien kissed her neck. "Darien! It tickles!"  
  
End of flashback...  
  
Danny stood up and left the sleeping princess. "I hope you remember something about Darien because he wouldn't want you to forget him. He loved you more than anyone and even more than his self." Danny whispered to her ear before leaving her and heading towards the castle.  
  
It was already late in the afternoon and the sun was slowly being covered by the clouds. The sky was already gray and the wind was blowing strongly. Serena rubbed her eyes and stared warily at the clouds while feeling the wind brush against her skin.  
  
She picked up a rose and plucked it's petal. She looked at the petals fall into her skirt one by one. She continued to stare at the flower even when the petals were already gone and only the stem was left.  
  
"Why?" She asked herself. "Why do I feel like something has happened to me in this place before?"  
  
Suddenly her head begun to throb and she felt dizzy. She closed her eyes and tried to steady herself but the darkness was spinning around her and a brief memory came to her like a sudden lightning flashing in the sky.  
  
Flashback...  
  
"Darien, don't leave yet. Look at the sky, doesn't it look lovely?" Serenity urged Darien while grabbing his hands to make sure he's not leaving.  
  
"What's so lovely about that? It's more like dull and boring." Darien answered and began to put on his boots.  
  
"Oh hush! Can't you appreciate nature? The color may be dull but if you try to feel it. There's something more, an unexplainable feeling." Serenity said softly and took a deep breath.  
  
"Really?" Asked Darien looking at the sky and holding her hand. He stared at it for a long time and suddenly his eyes widen and he looked at her.  
  
"Well, there's something isn't it?" Serenity grinned.  
  
"Yes, I feel something. A weird but good feeling." Darien said and smiled affectionately at her.  
  
"This is what I feel when were together." Serenity said suddenly.  
  
Darien scrunched his nose and raised a brow and asked her, "Am I really that dull?"  
  
"Hahaha! No silly! What I mean to say is that when I look at the sky. I feel special and wonderful and when we're together. I feel exactly the same. I feel like there a thousand butterflies in my stomach." Serenity said laughing heartily.  
  
"Princess! You make my heart burst with joy." Darien laughed and kissed her cheeks.  
  
End of flashback...  
  
Tears came flowing down her eyes and she stared at the sky again before standing up and heading towards the castle.  
  
In the next two weeks, Serenity spent her time sleeping in the garden and learning much about Darien. She went into the library and opened large photo albums of Darien and reading his journal.  
  
Sometimes, when she reads something about her in his journal. She giggles and talks to herself and the journal imagining it was Darien whom she was talking to.  
  
"Danny? When is Darien coming back?" Serenity asked one day when they were eating lunch in the garden.  
  
"I don't know." Answered Danny with a grim face.  
  
"Okay." She muttered and ate her sandwich in silence.  
  
Danny looked at her and his features soften. "You must be anticipating the moment when you see him. Do you remember something about him?" He asked.  
  
"Yes, but it was only the time where we were in the garden talking about the sky." She answered lightly.  
  
"So you remembered at least something." Danny said and smiled a lopsided grin. "I'm sure he'll be coming soon when he sense that you need him. You two were always so connected with each other."  
  
Serenity smiled happily and said, "I hope so." Then she closed her eyes and prayed to God that one day Darien would come back to her.  
  


* * *

  
This is chapter two: Memories. She didn't recover her full memory yet but sooner or later when she gets to meet Darien and YES! Darien will finally show up! She would remember everything from the day the two of them first met. Next chapter is "Stranger with a message." Please review and tell me what you think! See you all and God bless!!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	3. A stranger with a message

C H A P T E R 3: Stranger with a message  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello again everybody! This is chapter three and again. Enjoy and please  
  
review!=) Thank you all for reviewers and readers for supporting this story! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What? Your going out of town?!" Serenity asked wildly, annoyed at the prospect  
  
of being left alone.  
  
"Yes but it's only for three days and I'll be back as soon as possible and  
  
there's nothing to fear in this castle Serenity. You're perfectly safe." Danny  
  
explained patiently.  
  
"But I am not in the least bit scared, Danny. I just don't want to be left alone  
  
with no one to talk to at all." She said quietly.  
  
Danny looked at her and smiled tenderly. "Because your mind will just linger on  
  
Darien, isn't it?"  
  
Her big blue aquamarine eyes met his and for the second time, Danny saw sadness  
  
linger in those eyes. "I understand." He said.  
  
"Then you'll stay, right?" Serenity asked happily.  
  
"No, but there's this girl I know who'd keep you company." Danny said.  
  
"But I surely can't enjoy her company because I don't know her!" Serenity  
  
complained and crossed her shoulders.  
  
"Dear Serenity! You know this girl. She was your best friend then." Danny said  
  
mysteriously.  
  
Serenity looked at him and tried to recall if she remembered having a best  
  
friend. "I don't think I had a bestfriend." She said stubbornly.  
  
"Of course you don't remember! You have amnesia!" Danny laughed.  
  
Serenity rolled her eyes and said, "I don't remember much of my life here in the  
  
castle and how I met Prince Darien but I do recall all my memories as a child."  
  
Danny stood up. "Very well! She's here right now." He said.  
  
Serenity looked at her back and stared at a pretty girl with large green eyes and  
  
brown wavy curls that reached down the girl's shoulders.  
  
"Serenity!" The girl shrieked excitedly.  
  
Serenity continued to stare at her and her eyes suddenly widened in recognition  
  
to the girl. "Lita!" She gasped at ran towards the girl, opening her arms ready  
  
to embrace.  
  
"Serenity!" Lita shrieked again and ran towards Serenity and the two of them  
  
hugged each other so tightly.  
  
"Lita! Oh Lita! I miss you so much!" Serenity sobbed happilly in the girl's  
  
shoulder.  
  
"Serenity! I could have never guessed that you'd become a princess!" Lita laughed  
  
happily while wiping the tears in her eyes.  
  
"I could have never guessed that you'd be here in France!" Serenity chirped.  
  
"Well Serenity! I gave you my word. I'll be going then." Danny interrupted them  
  
grinning and started to leave.  
  
"Danny!" She called.  
  
"What is it?" Danny asked, looking at her with a gentle smile tugging on his  
  
lips.  
  
"Thank you." Serenity said sincerely.  
  
"It is my pleasure, Princess." Danny said. "I'll see you after three days,  
  
Serenity. Goodbye Lita."  
  
"Take care!" Serenity said happily holding Lita's hand.  
  
"Have a pleasant trip, Sir Danny!" Lita said shyly.  
  
Danny stopped walking towards the door and looked at her. "Thank you, Lita." He  
  
said and winked at her before opening the door.  
  
When he left, Lita sighed and sat down at Serenity's huge four-poster bed. "Isn't  
  
he so gorgeous, Serenity?!" Lita asked her.  
  
"Well, I can't know since I look at him as a dear sister would look at her dear  
  
brother." Serenity replied smiling and thinking that it would be nice if Danny  
  
would marry Lita.  
  
"Serenity, do you remember the time at the orphanage when I told you that I would  
  
like to marry a Prince one day?" Lita asked her softly.  
  
"Yes, I do." Serenity smiled and sat beside her.  
  
"Well, I have decided to stretch that decision." Lita told Serenity, her eyes  
  
green eyes shining with hope and love.  
  
"And what is that?" Serenity asked. Her smile growing bigger.  
  
"I have decided that even a prince's brother would do!" Lita said bobbing her  
  
head up and down as if agreeing with her own decision.  
  
Serenity burst out laughing and asked her, "Is that why your here in France?"  
  
Lita's face suddenly became sorrowful and she shook her head slowly. "No, I...I  
  
was transferred here." She said and then she suddenly cried.  
  
"Lita, what's wrong? Please tell me." Serenity asked, her smile gone and replaced  
  
with a concern look.  
  
"I'm...I mean...back in Paris...I...I'm a prostitute, Serenity! Sir Danny found  
  
me and paid me a huge sum of money so I wouldn't be one anymore." Lita cried  
  
brokenly.  
  
Serenity looked at Lita and felt her eyes dampen. While she was enjoying her life  
  
then with Darien, Lita was offering her body just to support herself.  
  
"Oh Lita! How could you?! You know I would help you if you'd ask!" Serenity told  
  
her with a sorrowful voice.  
  
"I couldn't! I didn't want to ruin your perfect life!" Lita said softly.  
  
"I want you to listen to me carefully, Lita. If you need help, go to me! Your not  
  
ruining anything." Serenity told her seriously and hugged her.  
  
"Oh Serenity! I often wonder why your not yet a saint." Lita smiled and cried  
  
again but it was only tears of joy and relief.  
  
Morning...  
  
Serenity covered her head with a silver hood and climbed Thunder. The horse  
  
hoofed and fidgeted while watching it's master climb her.  
  
"Hush now, thunder. We're going out to town today. Isn't that great?" She asked  
  
Thunder who was innocently looking at her.  
  
Serenity patted the horse's chestnut hair and smiled.  
  
"Serenity! Are you okey?" Lita asked her, raising her brow and smiling a  
  
mischievous smile. "Your body seems to be present but your mind is floating  
  
somewhere in space."  
  
"I just remembered something about Darien." Serenity said dreamily.  
  
Lita's expression turned slightly grim but her face kept on smiling. "Darien is  
  
the prince, right?" She asked with a strained voice.  
  
"Yes. Have you met him, Lita?" Serenity asked lightly, her voice trembling  
  
slightly. Instincts told her that something is not right and that Lita is hiding  
  
something from her.  
  
Lita looked at her blankly and then her face changed and she shook her head.  
  
"Heavens no! When I arrived here. Everyone keeps on talking about his  
  
disappearance." Serenity breathed a sigh of relief. "I hope he is well. One day I hope he would  
  
come back here because I don't want to think of Danny as someone who lies just to  
  
make me or anybody happy."  
  
Lita turned her head and hid her strange expression.  
  
"Are you okey, Lita?" Serenity asked. "Please tell me what's wrong?"  
  
"Really, Serenity. I'm fine!" Lita smiled and climbed a black horse and went  
  
ahead of her.  
  
"Hey! Wait for me!" Serenity shouted out loud. Something was definitely wrong and  
  
something tells her that she shouldn't go out but she did anyway.  
  
The town was filled with peasants and people with rich background but one thing  
  
that was common was that they were her to shop for something or to sell  
  
something.  
  
First,Serenity and Lita first went into some kind or market where different goods  
  
were sold at a very cheap price. Serenity bought a silver jewelry box while Lita  
  
bought a piece of painting that was said to be an Michelangelo original.  
  
Then they watched an performance by a famous comedian named Lucas, who imitated  
  
the duke of Sterling and a countess of Bromleigh and other important people.  
  
"Look Serenity! He's imitating Darien!" Lita pointed out.  
  
She looked at the comedian who was pretending to pick up a piece of wine glass.  
  
He placed it back to the air and let the people imagine he was picking a bottle  
  
instead. He drank the whole bottle and wiped his mouth with his sleeves.  
  
Everyone laughed except Serenity.  
  
"What is this?!" She exploded while glaring at Lita who was laughing with the  
  
crowd. Suddenly a hand grabbed her and pulled her in a deserted alley.  
  
"Who are you?! What do you want?!" Serenity wailed and looked at the stranger  
  
watching her.  
  
This stranger was no ordinary man. He was at least 6 feet tall and his shoulder  
  
were built and strong and his brown hair reached his shoulders.  
  
"Don't be afraid, princess. I just want to tell you something." He said gently.  
  
She looked at him and her features softened. "What is it you want to tell, sir?"  
  
"That girl your with is a very dangerous person. She killed some people I know  
  
with her own hands. I saw her!" The man bellowed.  
  
"What?!" Serenity gaped.  
  
"Your companion is a trained assassin. You may be her next target. I even saw her  
  
once in a nightclub in Aragon. She was seducing your husband."  
  
Serenity shook her head unable to believe what this man was saying. She had known  
  
Lita then and she was sure that Lita was no seducer or murderer. "Please, please  
  
don't tell lies if they're not true."  
  
The man squeezed her shoulders tightly and said in a final voice, "I know I am a  
  
mere stranger whom anyone can't trust but I swear I am telling you the truth and  
  
I only want the princess safe." Then he left hurriedly.  
  
"Wait!" Serenity called but he didn't turned his head around. Her heart was  
  
beating rapidly and she sat down slowly in the ground. She was sweating and  
  
suddenly a memory struck her with a hard force.  
  
Flashback...  
  
"Serenity! Look out!" Darien roared and protected her.  
  
"Boom!" she heard the sound of a gunshot and felt something wet in his shirt and  
  
she looked up. His face was in terrible pain and she cried and looked at the  
  
person who did this cruel thing.  
  
She twisted from Darien's protective hug and saw a flash of brown hair.  
  
End of flashback...  
  
"Serenity! Here you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Lita said smiling  
  
and wiped Serenity's forehead with her handkerchief.  
  
"D...d...don't!" Serenity trembled and gulped.  
  
"What's wrong? Your pale and you look sick? Is it because of the imitation of  
  
Darien. Your still angry about it?" Lita asked with genteel voice and continued  
  
to wipe her face.  
  
Serenity stood up with shaking limbs and screamed, "Stay away from me!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What do you think?! Are you wondering?! The answers will be coming soon and also  
  
the presence of our dear Darien! Hehe! So sorry he's not yet included because  
  
well I can't just put him in the story when his role is not yet required, neh?!  
  
But don't think I don't like him to be in the story. It's just I don't think it's  
  
his time yet to put an appearance! Chapter 4 is "Arrival." This is a surprise and Darien  
  
will appear on chapter 5!!! Chance!!! Well love you all and KEEP REVIEWING!=)))  
  
GOD BLESS AND FANFICTION ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	4. Arrival

C H A P T E R 4: ARRIVAL  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I hope you all enjoy this chapter because I certainly enjoyed making this and yes! Darien is finally going to introduce himself to us! FINALLY!!! Don't forget to Review and tell me what you think and I love you all and thank you for reading my story! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Serenity locked the door and combed her bangs through her fingers. "What should I do?" She whispered. What that man told her about Lita seemed true.  
  
"Serenity" Lita said while knocking the door. "Why?" She asked sadly.  
  
"Lita, please just go away." Serenity said softly. "I don't trust you anymore. Please go away."  
  
"What is it, Serenity? Please..." Lita sobbed. "Don't make me go away. You can't even tell me the reason why this is happening."  
  
"Just go away!" Serenity screamed harshly and cried silently.  
  
"Fine! I guess if you want to ruin our friendship so easily then this is it! It's over and the next time you'll see me...", Lita paused and breathed. "Don't expect me to greet you because I'll see you as a stranger!" , she screamed.  
  
Serenity listened to Lita's angry footsteps climbing down the staircase. "This is the right thing." Serenity whispered over and over again, trying to ease the pain in her heart.  
  
She stood up with shaking limbs and ran towards her bed, then buried her face in the pillows. "I'm sorry, Lita but I don't know if I ought to trust you."  
  
"Serenity! Serenity! Wake up!" Someone said closely to her ears while shaking her from her slumber.  
  
She opened her eyes and blinked. "Danny. You're here." She said groggily.  
  
Danny smiled sweetly. "Yes, Serenity. By the way, Where's Lita?" He asked.  
  
Serenity closed her eyes again and said, "I told her to go away. I don't trust her. I don't know who I should trust?" She sighed.  
  
"Don't you trust me?" Danny asked quietly. Serenity stared at his gorgeous chiseled face. He looked so thoughtful and sincere that is why Serenity suddenly smiled.  
  
"Of course I trust you." Serenity chuckled.  
  
"That's good." Danny grinned while touching her face. "Well then, I'll see you later at dinner. There's a guest I want you to meet."  
  
Serenity watched him leave and wondered. It suddenly occurred to her that Danny didn't ask much about Lita. "I thought he's in love with Lita but why doesn't he care that I told her to go away." She asked herself.  
  
During dinner...  
  
Serenity peeped through the staircase wanting to have a chance to take a good look at the guest Danny invited.  
  
She squinted and saw a short old man with dark mustaches, who was wearing a uniform that marked him as a sort of an admiral general.  
  
"Serenity! What are you doing there?!", squeaked Mdm. Dolanda. This woman has been Serenity's personal maid since she was married to Prince Darien Endymion Albert the 4th or shortly known as Prince Darien.  
  
"Oh forgive me, Mdm! I was just trying to have a look at the surprise guest." Serenity stuttered while dusting her petticoat.  
  
"That man my dear Serenity is a very important man. He is here to pass the title to Danny." Mdm. Dolanda said affirmatively.  
  
"Pardon me. I didn't hear it quiet right." Serenity asked with heavy heart.  
  
Mdm. Dolanda looked at her and sighed. "I'm afraid Prince Darien is dead. The throne is given to Danny now."  
  
"Then what does it have to do with me?" Serenity asked with a frown.  
  
"That I do not know, Princess." The woman said and left.  
  
Serenity went downstairs and was introduced to the man named, Mr. Collins. They had dinner and Serenity ate silently.  
  
"Serenity. Why are you so quiet?" Danny asked her.  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't feel well. Can I be excused?" Serenity asked wiping the napkin to her mouth.  
  
Mr. Collins coughed and suddenly said, "There are some things that we have to discuss first, Princess Serenity."  
  
"But Sir, I feel very dizzy! I want to go to my room now!" Serenity demanded angrily.  
  
"Sit down!" Danny shouted.  
  
Serenity sat down and closed her mouth. She took a peek at Danny and Mr. Collins. Danny was frowning and Mr. Collins kept on wiping the napkin to his mouth.  
  
"Mr. Collins. Please do continue." Danny said dryly.  
  
Mr. Collins looked at Serenity and opened a small black leather notebook. "Miss Serenity, Danny have offered that you marry him so that you will not be a widow and your title still remains.", he said.  
  
Serenity's head began to spin. She didn't know what this discussion was heading. She never expected Danny to offer for her. She had no whatsoever intention of ever marrying him because all she ever felt for Danny was brotherly love and her heart belongs to Darien.  
  
"How dare you?" Serenity bursted at Danny. "You have the honor of letting another man propose to me for you! You don't even know how I feel? Are you not ashamed of marrying your brother's wife?!"  
  
Danny stood up and slapped Serenity hard on the face.  
  
Serenity gasped opening her mouth to speak but she was speechless.  
  
"Excuse me princess but ever since my brother introduced me to you. You always loved fairytales and when you were a princess. You loved the title and all the leisure that comes with it. I thought you would be relieved with this proposal." Danny drawled sarcastically.  
  
Serenity's eyes watered and she clenched her hands tightly. "I'm sorry if I was so shallow then but I have news for you Mr. Danny! I'm not now and I don't care if I become a widow because at least I still have the memories of my beloved husband all my life!" She cried and ran towards her room.  
  
It was midnight and Serenity couldn't sleep. She was still depressed and sad. "Was I really so shallow then?" She asked herself.  
  
Then she grabbed her sweater and headed towards the kitchen to get herself a cup of warm tea but somewhere in her way there she heard two distinct voices. One was female and the other was male.  
  
"Why you conniving scoundrel! You bastard! How could you do this to me?" The female voice cried.  
  
"I didn't do anything! I never promised to marry you or have any relationship." The male voice replied icily.  
  
"I hate you!" The female voice cried brokenly. "You tricked me into doing all of that for nothing. Do you know how much my friendship with her means to me? It means everything but I was willing to break it because of you!"  
  
"I don't think your much worthy of a friend anyway to let your friendship be broken just because of a guy." The male voice said.  
  
"Please. Please stop. Just stop. I won't come here ever again. I just hope that she would forget about what the stranger said to her about me." The female voice cried again.  
  
"I don't think so. That guy was very convincing. I didn't pay him 5 pounds of pure silver for nothing." The male voice laughed menacingly.  
  
"I really hate you!" The female voice screamed and ran away.  
  
Serenity slowly moved her head towards the kitchen and saw Lita ran towards the door and Danny sitting at a chair. She covered her mouth which was breathing heavily.  
  
Her heart was beating wildly and she finally realized that everything was wrong. Lita was still her true friend and she never did bad things that stranger told her and that Danny was a pure scoundrel.  
  
Tears sprang through her eyes and she managed to wipe them away. She slowly stood up and went towards her room. Once she was in her room, she took a big bag and filled it with her clothes and savings.  
  
She was not going to stay in this castle anymore. She didn't feel safe anymore. She felt like she was trapped in a cage with a tiger. She grabbed a black hood and covered her entire body and waited for an hour to pass by.  
  
After waiting, she slowly escaped the castle using abilities she didn't know she had to avoid the guards.  
  
Once she was already outside the castle. She roamed around and found a little bench. She sat down daintily but within a few minutes, she was already asleep.  
  
Morning...  
  
"Miss, are you all right?"  
  
Serenity opened her eyes and stared at an old woman who was wearing an old brown dress and who was looking at her with eyes full of concern.  
  
"Actually I feel a little bit sick." Serenity replied with a yawn.  
  
"Are you lost my dear? Do you need any help?" The woman asked again.  
  
Serenity didn't reply because she suddenly remembered her circumstance right now and all the events that happened to her. She looked at her folded hands and sighed.  
  
"Where are your parents? Relatives perhaps?" Persisted the old woman.  
  
"I have no one and no place madam." Serenity answered truthfully and began to stand up but the old woman interrupted her.  
  
"Gracious! You cannot be left alone with no one there for you. I insist you live with me. My master doesn't mind if I bring along relatives in his house so I'll just tell him your my niece is that all right?" The old woman said loudly and began to touch her forehead and her neck to see if she had a fever.  
  
"Oh no! That would be a lie because I'm not your niece." Serenity said while shaking her head.  
  
"Don't argue with me child! I'm giving you an opportunity to live safely but your shaking that pretty head of yours so you can give all those bad perverts to do something to you while you sleep on a bench each night?" The old lady nagged slapping Serenity by the shoulder as if she was a naughty child.  
  
"Okay! I'm sorry." Serenity sighed.  
  
The old woman smiled and said, "By the way, you can stop calling me Madam. My name is Miss Robins and yes I've never been married in my life but I was a nun then. How about you?" The old woman asked Serenity with a kind smile.  
  
"I'm Sereni...Serena!" Serenity squeaked. She was about to say her real name and that would be very bad because she would eventually be recognized.  
  
"Serena is a lovely name! It suits your lovely face and your sweet character." Miss Robins complimented. "Serena, I should tell you that once we arrived in my master's house. You start calling me Aunt Robins, okay?"  
  
Serenity smiled happily and hugged the old lady. "I'll call you whatever you'd like me to call you Aunt Robins and I thank you forever!"  
  
"You know you remind me of someone." Miss Robins said after their embrace.  
  
"Who?" Serenity asked happilly.  
  
"Princess Serenity. You look exactly like her but I'm not sure because I've seen her only once and that was A year ago when she was going to marry the Prince." Miss Robins said with a dreamy voice.  
  
Serenity's smile fell but she quickly hid it. "Why thank you, Miss Robins! I'm deeply flattered but I'm sure the princess is a thousand more times prettier than myself." She laughed.  
  
"Well I don't know about that but maybe the princess has a twin and maybe it's you." Miss Robins said and laughed together with Serenity.  
  
Once they have arrived in the house of Miss Robin's master. Miss Robins quickly made Serenity a hot bath and after let her eat a big bowl of pork stew and bread. Once she was full and was glowing with health. Miss Robins was now sure that she could introduce Serena to her master.  
  
"Serena, don't forget to call me Aunt Robins and always smile and be polite." Miss Robins instructed her.  
  
"Okey Aunt Robins." Serenity chirped wearing a big grin on her face.  
  
"Master Harrison." Miss Robins called.  
  
Behind a big wooden chair. A tall man with broad shoulder turned his head making his shiny jet black bangs tumble to his dark blue eyes. "What is it, Miss Robins?" He asked calmly.  
  
"I have to introduce to you my niece sir for she would be living here from now on to keep me company." Miss Robins said firmly yet friendly.  
  
"Ah! What is your name?" The handsome guy asked Serenity.  
  
Serenity was unable to stop neither her mouth from opening nor her eyes from widening for what she saw was unbelievable. It was Darien. Prince Darien!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Next chapter is "Nostalgia". Stay tune and once again I'm reminding you to please review. It's like medicine to a writer you know. Well that's all for now and love you all and God bless and don't forget to drink tea. Hahahaha! Out of topic, neh?! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	5. Nostalgia

C H A P T E R 5: NOSTALGIA  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Konnichiwa everyone! First of all I want to thank you for your support and your reviews! It really helped me a lot!=) And now I know that you have been waiting for this chapter. Well, here it and enjoy.^^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Miss Robins, why is Mr. Harrison so lonely?" Serenity asked.  
  
Miss Robins smiled and patted her head. "My dear child, he's not lonely he's just like that. Ever since I met him 7 months ago, I knew that he was a solitaire man."  
  
"Didn't he have any family or relatives?" Serenity asked again eager to know more about Mr. Harrison and curious if he really is Darien.  
  
"I really don't know much about him because he rarely talks of himself and he was a gambler when I met him." Miss Robins replied quietly.  
  
Serenity sighed and tried to think again. "It was 7 months ago since he disappeared and maybe he just had amnesia." she thought.  
  
"Miss Robins, don't you think that it's quiet weird that Mr. Harrison looks like the Prince Endymion?" Serenity asked with an aching voice.  
  
The old lady sighed. "Yes he does look like the Prince but Mr. Harrison doesn't think so besides he just looks like the Prince like you are with the princess.", she said.  
  
"I guess so..." Serenity said slowly and wishing that she knew more about this Mr. Harrison. Ever since she was introduced to him, he only asked her name and left her alone with Miss Robins.  
  
"I'm sleepy my dear. I'm going to take an afternoon nap. Do anything you like." Miss Robins said before leaving her room with a loud yawn.  
  
Serenity stood up and sat by the window. She looked down and saw Mr. Harrison picking up the red and white roses.  
  
She smiled and fixed her hair then left her room.  
  
In the garden...  
  
Serenity watched him pick up a rose and then place it in a small brown basket. Of course, she was hiding behind a large tree so she can watch him without him knowing about it.  
  
"He's so beautiful." She thought. She watched his bangs fly whenever the strong wind hits his face. She watched his gorgeous blue eyes sparkle when he sees a healthy rose. She watched his brows snap together when he got pricked by a thorn.  
  
Serenity was so engrossed with watching the man who looked exactly like her beloved that she was not able to see the large dog coming towards her.  
  
The dog growled behind her and apparently, Serenity screamed because she was very afraid of dogs. When she was a little girl, she was attacked by a big dog and ever since, she had a phobia with dogs big and small.  
  
The dog came closer and Serenity's legs began to wobble.  
  
Suddenly, the dog was hit by a piece of rock and it fled away. Serenity turned her head around and came face to face with Mr. Harrison.  
  
"Ehhh! I...I'm truly sorry!" Serenity gasped with open mouth. Her ears were flaring with embarrassment and she felt like she would cry any second now.  
  
Mr. Harrison stared at her with those dark blue eyes and asked her, "Sorry for what, Serena?"  
  
"I'm sorry for disturbing you." Serenity said slowly hoping that her face wasn't so red from the embarrassment.  
  
"No problem." He said and turned his back and picked up the basket with the roses and went into the house.  
  
"Gee, Serenity! Look at what you've done. You made yourself look like a complete fool and now he would never have a chance to like you!" Serenity muttered angrily and then stomped her way towards the house.  
  
Miss Robins was already cooking an afternoon snack for Mr. Harrison when Serenity slammed the door and sat angrily in the kitchen chair. "Why Serena, what got you all steamed up?!" Miss Robins asked in her usual manner.  
  
"Oh nothing, Miss Robins. I was just being an idiot!" Serenity sighed frustratingly.  
  
Miss Robins placed a bunch of warm chocolate cookies in a small plate and placed it in front of Serenity. "Eat up! They say that sweets eases your temper." she said kindly.  
  
Serenity smiled at the woman and felt a motherly love for her. "Thank you, Miss Robins! You're like a mother I never had." She said sincerely.  
  
Miss Robins grabbed a chair and sat beside her. "Why do you say that, my dear? You never had a mother?"  
  
Serenity nodded while chomping a huge piece of cookie. "Yeah, I was living in the orphanage since I was out of my mother's stomach." She laughed sadly.  
  
Miss Robins patted Serenity's back. "Don't worry, Serenity. I'll make sure you'll get all my unconditional love."  
  
Serenity's aquamarine eyes lighted up with happiness and she hugged Miss Robins tightly. "Thank you, Miss Robins."  
  
Meanwhile Mr. Harrison was there listening to them silently and looking at Serenity with an intense gaze.  
  
"Why do I feel something when I see her? Have I seen her somewhere before but I don't remember." He thought and then left the kitchen.  
  
The next day was a rainy day and the house was very lonely and dark. Serenity released her knee-length hair and wore a silver sweater that was given to her by Miss Robins.  
  
"Somehow, Miss Robins must have gone out shopping because I can't see her anywhere." She muttered.  
  
She went into the library and studied the large volume of books. "Wow" She gasped and touched each shelf and each book with her long fingers.  
  
"I guess you like reading books." Mr. Harrison commented.  
  
Serenity turned around and for the second time, she was staring directly at Mr. Harrison's face. Her heart made a big leap and she had to clench her hands tightly to keep them from shaking.  
  
"Yes!" She chirped. "I mean, I used to stay up late and read them all night long." Serenity continued while wiping the sweat in her hands.  
  
Mr. Harrison continued to stare at her and asked, "What kind?"  
  
"Huh? What kind?" She asked with a confused frown.  
  
"What kind of books do you read?" Mr. Harrison said with no emotion in his voice as if he was made of ice and nothing else.  
  
"Oh! I read love stories and thrillers." She answered shyly.  
  
"You have such a beautiful long hair." He said suddenly and Serenity was taken aback by his sudden compliment.  
  
"Why thank you, Mr. Harrison." She laughed.  
  
"You welcome." He said and left the library.  
  
Serenity stared at his back and wondered how this guy could be so confusing. One second he seems like he wants to talk and the next, he looks like he's bored to hell. "I can't understand him at all!" Serenity muttered frustratingly once and again.  
  
Suddenly there was a thud in the kitchen door and she knew that Miss Robins was back. She grabbed a book and ran towards the kitchen.  
  
"Miss Robins! I've been waiting for you the whole morning!" Serenity announced with a loud sigh.  
  
Miss Robins smiled and took out the food from a big brown paper. "I was just buying some food out in the market, my dear." Then she daintily got a croissant and gave it to Serenity.  
  
"Why do you love to feed me?! I'm going to get pudgy now!" Serenity complained with a grin. Serenity was very happy that she has Miss Robins to take care of her.  
  
"You should eat that dear Serena because I bought that from one of the most delicious bakeshop here in London and you would be missing half of your life if you don't eat it!" Miss Robins said proudly.  
  
Serenity smelled the delicious pastry and took a big bite. "Delicious!" She said loudly and then finished the whole thing in 3 minutes.  
  
"See what I told you! Aunt Robins never fail to make a pretty girl like you happy and feel loved." Miss Robins said again with a higher note in her voice as if she was feeling very sentimental.  
  
"Of course! That's why I love Aunt Robins so much!" Serenity said happily.  
  
Miss Robins smiled and got another piece of croissant and placed in a glass plate. "Serena, could you please give this to Mr. Harrison. It's time for his afternoon snack."  
  
"Okay." Serenity said and grabbed the plate.  
  
"Wait!" screamed Miss Robins.  
  
"Huh?" Serenity looked at Miss Robins running to her with a cup of tea in her hand.  
  
"Don't forget the tea!" Miss Robins said out of breath.  
  
"Oh please do rest, Miss Robins. You shan't waste your precious energy like that. Next time you just call me all right and I'll go back to you." Serenity said a voice filled with concern.  
  
"All right, my dear. Go on now; I don't want to keep the master waiting." Miss Robins said once she recovered her poise and her breath.  
  
Serenity entered Mr. Harrison's room and admired its gothic architecture. She scanned the room and found him writing something in his study.  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Harrison. I've brought you your afternoon snack." Serenity said and placed it in the table near his bed.  
  
Mr. Harrison didn't bother to notice her and continued to write. Serenity gritted her teeth and left the room quietly going to her room. Once she was in her room, she punched her pillows and muttered angrily.  
  
Everyday, Serenity was doing the usual things in the house like serving Mr. Harrison or reading a book in the library and talking with Miss Robins but one Sunday morning when she was happily eating breakfast alone while everyone was still sleeping. She scanned the sunday newspaper.  
  
In the front page was: A big picture of her and the title of the story was: Princess Serenity gone and anyone who finds receives 50 pounds of silver.  
  
"Good morning Serena! You're up early today." Miss Robins said with a yawn.  
  
"Good morning too, Miss Robins." She said with forced cheerfulness and tried to divert Miss Robin's attention from the morning paper. "Have you noticed the weather today, Miss Robins? It's awfully hot!"  
  
Miss Robins stared at the window and said, "I don't know Serena. It seems like the usual weather. Is something wrong, child?" She asked.  
  
"I'm quite sick today, Miss Robins. Can you take care of me for the whole day? I don't want you to go out because I need you loving hands to cure me back to health." Serenity said sweetly.  
  
Miss Robins sighed and smiled and said, "You devil!" and she laughed.  
  
Serenity stayed in her bed the whole day holding Miss Robins hands. She didn't want Miss Robins to know that she was really the princess or else the woman who treated her like a real daughter would feel betrayed and deceived and she certainly didn't want that to happen.  
  
During dinner, the rain poured heavily outside the house and Miss Robins cooked a very delicious vegetable soup.  
  
"I'm not feeling very well again, Miss Robins. I'll rest in my room now, okay?" She asked and then left Miss Robins and Mr. Harrison who was staring curiously at Serenity.  
  
"There's something strange about Serena's actions today." Miss Robins said to herself not knowing that she was speaking it out loud.  
  
"I agree." said Mr. Harrison.  
  
"She kept hiding that morning newspaper and kept on pretending that she was sick. I wonder why?" Miss Robins sighed and slouched in her chair.  
  
"I saw her reading it this morning and she practically jumped out of her chair when you came in." Mr. Harrison said again.  
  
"Yes! I saw it in her expression too!" Miss Robins agreed unaware of Mr. Harrison's sudden interest to talk in long sentences.  
  
An hours passed by and Miss Robins and Mr. Harrison continued to talk about Serena's peculiar reaction.  
  
Suddenly there was a loud bang on the back door and Miss Robins stood up from her chair clutching her chest. "Goodness gracious! What was that?!" She gasped.  
  
Mr. Harrison stood up from his chair too and checked the back door. "Maybe it was only a strong wind."  
  
"I guess." Miss Robins sighed. "I'm getting sleepy now. Goodnight Mr. Harrison." She said.  
  
"Pleasant dreams." said Mr. Harrison and he left.  
  
Miss Robins went to her room and started to take her clothes of so she could take a bath. "Serena, kindly help me out here." Miss Robins said loudly because Serena's room was just beside hers.  
  
No one answered.  
  
Miss Robins felt anxiety building up inside her and she grabbed her robe and went to Serena's room.  
  
Once, she was inside Serena's room. It was dark and quiet. The bed looked as if no one used it and everything seems so lonely. "Serena! Serena!" Miss Robins panicked.  
  
She quickly turned the lights on. She scanned the room and found the morning newspaper crumpled near Serena's bed.  
  
Miss Robins squatted in the floor and read the crumpled newspaper and she gasped. She stood up with shaking limbs and ran towards Mr. Harrison's room.  
  
"Mr. Harrison! Mr. Harrison!" Miss Robins yelled.  
  
"What is it?" asked Mr. Harrison who was reading a book on his bed.  
  
"It's Serena!! She...she's a Princess! And I'm afraid she's gone! She ran away in this bad weather! Please help her!!" cried Miss Robins.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Mr. Harrison asked once again with a wrinkled brow.  
  
"Here! Look here!" Miss Robins said pointing Serenity's picture in the newspaper. "That's why she was behaving rather oddly! She was afraid that we'd hate her if we knew that she was actually a Princess!" Miss Robins said while wiping tears in her eyes.  
  
Mr. Harrison stared at Miss Robins with a confused expression in his face.  
  
"What are you doing just sitting there, Mr. Harrison?! Please save her! Please save the Princess!" bellowed Miss Robins.  
  
Mr. Harrison jumped out of his bed and grabbed a leather cloak. "I'll be right back. She shouldn't be so far away." He said calmly.  
  
"Please Lord! Please! Let her be safe." sobbed Miss Robins.  
  
Mr. Harrison ran outside his house and grabbed his black stallion. He quickly climbed it and the horse ran quickly as if sensing the master's desperation.  
  
The rain was soaking his clothing but he continued to surpass the woods and the thick forest looking for a glimpse of Serena.  
  
AN hour passed by and he continued to ride on and not giving up because he knew that she would appear any minute now.  
  
"Thuck! thuck! thuck!" The constant sound of the horse's footsteps but there was a different sound. A weeping sound.  
  
Mr. Harrison turned his head around and stared at a black shadow crouched up in a tree and was weeping sorrowfully.  
  
He stopped and the horse galloped loudly.  
  
The shadow also stopped crying and quickly ran away.  
  
Mr. Harrison started to ran and catch the person who was running away. "Wait!" He called. "Wait! Is it you, Serena?!" He yelled.  
  
The running figure continued to run but stumbled.  
  
Mr. Harrison stared at Serena who was soaked from the rain. Her hair covered by the brown mud and her clothes were torn by the scratches of the bushes.  
  
He squatted beside Serena and stared at her.  
  
Serenity suddenly cried loudly and Mr. Harrison embraced the petite girl in his arms trying to ease her pain.  
  
"I know you hate me for being so deceitful but I beg you! Please don't take me back into that castle! I'd rather die than be there! I know you can't understand me but please give me a chance to have another life. I love it in your home and Miss Robins so kind to me! Please! I'll do anything!" Serenity sobbed brokenly in Mr. Harrison's arms.  
  
"Hush Serena or May I say, Princess Serenity. I won't take you back into that castle." Mr. Harrison said gently.  
  
"Oh thank you! Thank you for being so kind to me." She said sincerely and cried.  
  
Suddenly a nostalgic feeling hit Mr. Harrison like a tidal wave and he stared at the beautiful girl in his arms. "Serenity." He whispered her name again and again in his head like a mantra and he felt his heart ache. "Serenity..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, what is this aching feeling that has suddenly gotten into Mr. Harrison's wall of ice??? Well you'll have to find that out yourself and read the next chapter and don't forget to review!!!!^^ Next chapter is "Fiancé". Love you all and thanks for your reviews and support. God bless and FANFICTION totally rocks!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	6. Fiancee

C H A P T E R 6: FIANCEE  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hello to one and all!!!=) First of all, I want to thank you for the reviews and supporting me with this story. Sniff! Sniff! This chapter is quite a long one but I enjoyed making it and I hope you enjoy it too! Love you all and don't forget to review!! Ciao! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Serena..ity!" screamed Miss Robins hurrying towards Mr. Harrison. Mr. Harrison was carrying her unconscious body in his arms and he gently placed her in the sofa.  
  
Miss Robins touched Serenity's forehead. "She has a high fever, Mr. Harrison. Please get me a bucket of warm water." she said hurriedly.  
  
Mr. Harrison ran towards the kitchen and searched for a kettle with shaking hands. "Serenity..." He whispered again. "Why does her name seem so familiar?" He asked his self.  
  
Meanwhile, Miss Robins was stroking Serenity's golden hair and whispered in her ear. "Oh Serenity, I would never hate you unless you try to kill yourself." she cried silently.  
  
Serenity opened her eyes slowly and she closed them again. Since she had a hard time opening her eyes at least, she had no problem with opening her mouth. "Miss Robins" she said groggily. "I...I'm so sorry."  
  
Miss Robins sobbed and hugged her. "It's all right, child! It's all right." The old woman whispered again and continued to stroke her hair.  
  
A few minutes later, Mr. Harrison arrived and placed the bucket of warm water in front of Miss Robins. "I'll be in my room." He said quietly without any hint of emotion in his voice and left them alone.  
  
Miss Robins took a small towel from one of the kitchen drawers and dipped them into the warm water. She squeezed it tightly and wiped it in Serenity's forehead. Suddenly, tears dropped from Serenity's closed eyes.  
  
"What is it, my dear?" Miss Robins asked with a voice filled with concern.  
  
"Why does he have to be so mean? He doesn't care about me. Not one bit." Serenity said sadly.  
  
Miss Robins looked at Serenity and smiled. "You feel something special for Mr. Harrison, my dear?" she asked with a sly smile.  
  
Serenity opened her eyes and stared at Miss Robin's face. Her vision was blurry and she couldn't see anything. Her head began to throb and she fell into a deep sleep again.  
  
"Believe me, child. He cares a great deal about you." said Miss Robins even though she knew that Serenity couldn't hear her anymore.  
  
Morning...  
  
The sunlight spilled into Serenity's room. She opened her eyes and thought about the dream she had.  
  
She dreamed that Darien was lost and he was saying things like, "Don't stop searching. Don't stop. You'll find me."  
  
Tears came out of her eyes and she tried to wipe them away but something was holding her hand.  
  
She looked at the strong hand holding hers and gazed at Mr. Harrison's beautiful sleeping face beside her. She gasped and quickly slid out her hand.  
  
"Mr. Harrison." Serenity said while shaking his shoulders. "Mr. Harrison, are you all right?"  
  
His eyes shot open and he suddenly sat up straight. He stared at Serenity as if confused and breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Mr. Harrison, are you all right?" Serenity asked again. "Huh? Oh! Of course! I'm fine!" said Mr. Harrison and like always, he stood up and left the room.  
  
"He does care a little about me." Serenity said to herself and she smiled happily.  
  
During breakfast, Serenity told Miss Robins about her life as an orphan and her life as a princess.  
  
"Wow! And you had amnesia?" Miss Robins asked with open eyes.  
  
"Yes but now, I have recovered 80% of my memory." Serenity said.  
  
"Tell me about the prince?" asked Mr. Harrison all of a sudden.  
  
Serenity looked at Mr. Harrison and wondered if he was really Darien pretending to be another person but he looked so sincere.  
  
"Well, the Prince was a loving, kind and warm-hearted man. He...always protected me even if it would harm him." Serenity said sadly.  
  
"You know, Mr. Harrison. As what Serenity told me before, you look like the Prince. Are you sure your not the Prince?" Miss Robins asked in a joking manner.  
  
He sighed frustratingly and said, "Miss Robins, I'm Richard Harrison and I was born in America."  
  
"What was your childhood like, Mr. Harrison?" Serenity asked curiously.  
  
Mr. Harrison stared at Serenity for the longest time. "I'm afraid I don't remember anything from my childhood." He said.  
  
"How is that?" Miss Robins asked as curious as Serenity.  
  
"You see..." Mr. Harrison said slowly. "I have amnesia."  
  
"What??!" Serenity asked with a dazed expression on her face.  
  
"Small world." Miss Robins giggled.  
  
"Prince Darien Endymion!" Serenity yelled crazily. She was now a little sure that somehow, Mr. Harrison has got to be Darien.  
  
Mr. Harrison looked at Serenity and his eyes gentled. He cupped her face with his hands and said slowly, "Princess, I'm sorry but I'm not your prince."  
  
"But you've got to be!" Serenity cried.  
  
Mr. Harrison embraced the fragile girl in his arms and tried to sooth her pain. "Shh! You'll find him one day." He said.  
  
"I love him so much. I'll die if I won't find him." Serenity cried. "Please, if your Darien and your just pretending. Please stop it already." She sobbed.  
  
Mr. Harrison caressed her back. "Please don't cry, Serenity." He said and he suddenly felt the ache in his heart again. He looked at the pretty girl in his arms and he felt a tear in his eyes.  
  
"Why am I crying?" He asked his self.  
  
Serenity stopped crying and she gaped at him. "You...you!" She stuttered. "Your really Darien, are you not? He said the exact same words to me! You are Darien! You are Darien!" repeated Serenity.  
  
"No, please stop misunderstanding me. I'm not the Prince." He sighed but then he found a certain relief whenever Serenity called him Darien.  
  
"Knock! knock! knock!"  
  
"I'll get it." Miss Robins said and when she returned, her face was very pale.  
  
"It's Berly, master."  
  
Mr. Harrison released Serenity and stood up rigidly. His eyes returning to it's normal icy gaze.  
  
A minute later, a beautiful red haired beauty came in wearing the latest in London and she smiled attractively at Mr. Harrison.  
  
"Richard darling! Even though I've been gone for only a week, I feel like I've been separated from you for a thousand years or so." The beautiful woman said.  
  
"Miss Beryl." Mr. Harrison said.  
  
The red haired woman raised her eyes towards Serenity and she raised a brow towards Mr. Harrison.  
  
Mr. Harrison sighed. "Miss Beryl this is..." He looked at Serenity. "This is Serena Robins. She is Miss Robin's niece."  
  
Beryl glared at Serenity.  
  
He looked at Serenity and he felt like weeping. "Serena" He said slowly. "This is Miss Beryl Analeigh Brozwik."  
  
"And?" Beryl asked sweetly.  
  
Mr. Harrison sighed. "This is my fiancée."  
  
Serenity gasped silently and she lowered her head. She couldn't let that obnoxious fiancé see her crying.  
  
She cleared her throat. "Excuse me but I've been feeling quite sick. I'll be going now." She said and ran all the way to her room.  
  
Mr. Harrison watched Serenity with a heavy heart.  
  
"Darling, is something going on between you and that peasant girl?" Beryl asked sarcastically while fixing her hair.  
  
"She is not a peasant, Miss Beryl. She is quite refined." Mr. Harrison said.  
  
"Oh yeah? How come? She is only your servant or maybe a whore." Beryl said again but with an acid voice. She pursed her lips and sat in one of the chairs.  
  
"That is enough!" Mr. Harrison roared and began to leave.  
  
"Wait! I beg of you, my love! Please forgive me! I was just insanely jealous but I shouldn't be, right? Because I know you love me and you'll marry me because I'm your fiancée." Beryl cried pathetically.  
  
"Miss Beryl, you may be my fiancé but you're not my wife." Mr. Harrison said icily.  
  
"Darling! I'm so sorry! Please! I love you. You would throw it away for that girl?" She asked desperately while hugging his chest fiercely.  
  
Mr. Harrison smiled. "No, I wouldn't, okay? Don't worry." He said and tugged Beryl's hair.  
  
She laughed femininely and she kissed his lips. "Of course, my love." She said.  
  
Miss Robins turned away from the couple and made a disgusted face. "That girl is so indecent, she could be a whore!" She thought angrily and stormed out the house.  
  
Days passed by and days turned to weeks and everyday was like the same routine for the Harrison household. Miss Robins would go out in the afternoon and Beryl arrived early morning and Mr. Harrison would go out with her. Serenity reads a book in the library or just lay around feeling miserable but one day...  
  
It was a beautiful Saturday morning and the weather was unforgivable for it was raining heavily outside.  
  
"I guess that fiancée of yours won't be coming today because of this weather." Miss Robins said happily.  
  
"I hope so." Serenity thought and looked at Mr. Harrison longingly. She really hoped to spend some time with him but Beryl was so persistent.  
  
"Yes, she won't be coming. That girl is allergic with rain." Mr. Harrison said but later a grin appeared on his face and then a little later, he laughed.  
  
"Nope not only rain but she's also allergic with the sun's rays." Miss Robins declared while laughing.  
  
"That only means one thing." Serenity added. "She's allergic to everything!"  
  
Miss Robins laughed some more.  
  
"but!" continued Serenity. "She is not allergic with her 'Richard darling!'" Serenity said imitating Beryl's voice and her accent.  
  
"Exactly!" Miss Robins said while nodding her head.  
  
"Miss Robins, if ever she would really come despite this horrible weather. Please do tell her to leave. I'm awfully tired today from all those excursions we had." Mr. Harrison said and he left them alone.  
  
"Finally, Mr. Harrison has finally come to senses that the woman he is about to marry is an obnoxious, unconceivable wench!" Miss Robins hissed.  
  
"Woah!" Serenity said. "That's quite a bit too much!" "You know, when I first met Beryl. I thought I saw the devil!" Miss Robins said in an angry voice.  
  
"You're joking?" Serenity asked.  
  
"No, I'm not! I thought I saw Lucifer in the form of a seducing woman." Miss Robins said so loudly.  
  
"Shh! Mr. Harrison might hear you." Serenity warned but she was happy that Miss Robins felt the same hate she had for Beryl.  
  
"I do not care, my dear. I know that he doesn't like Beryl but he is just forced to. Sometimes I think that this is forced marriage but Mr. Harrison said his parents died a long time ago." said the Miss Robins who was busy looking at the clock.  
  
"You really think so?" Serenity asked in a longing voice again.  
  
Miss Robins looked at Serenity and kissed her forehead. "My dear child, if what I see is really true. I'm sure that Mr. Harrison is more in love with you than he is with that obnoxious fiancé of his." she said gently.  
  
"Then why doesn't he break their engagement?" Serenity asked while crossing her arms.  
  
"That I cannot answer."  
  
"Miss Robins! Please help me over here!" Mr. Harrison yelled.  
  
Serenity looked at Miss Robins' bewildered face and the both of them ran towards his room.  
  
When Serenity looked at Mr. Harrison's bleeding face. She almost fainted.  
  
"Miss Robins, it's happening again." Mr. Harrison said calmly.  
  
Serenity closed her eyes. "It's happening again? So this is not the first time." She thought.  
  
Miss Robins rushed towards the bathroom and came back to his bed and wiped his bloody forehead.  
  
"Why do you suffer this bleeding, Mr. Harrison?" Serenity asked with a worried gaze.  
  
Mr. Harrison looked at Serenity. "You see, I was shot by the head and because of that I don't have any memory of my past."  
  
Serenity's head began to throb and her eyes watered. "You're really Darien! He was last shot by the head!" Serenity yelled at Mr. Harrison.  
  
"I'm sorry, Serenity. I'm not really Darien, please." Mr. Harrison said.  
  
"Oh yeah? Then how did you know your name? How did you know where you lived?" Serenity asked angrily while tears dropped from her eyes.  
  
Mr. Harrison was quiet.  
  
"Please answer me." Serenity cried and she kneeled in front of Mr. Harrison. "Please answer me!" she said sadly.  
  
"Beryl told me so..." Mr. Harrison said.  
  
"And you believed everything she told you?" Serenity asked sadly.  
  
"She took care of me. Of course I trust her." Mr. Harrison said simply.  
  
Serenity's head began to throb again and her vision blurred and she fell to the floor. "Serenity! Serenity!" was the last thing she heard.  
  
FLASHBACK...  
  
"You stupid girl! You are just a common ordinary wench! The Prince has certainly commited a mistake!" The woman screamed.  
  
"Please release me!" Serenity begged unable to see because she was blindfolded.  
  
Then the woman's hand slapped her hard on the face.  
  
"I will release you if you leave the castle and never show your face again!" The woman demanded.  
  
"I...I can't!" Serenity sobbed.  
  
"You simply can't understand anything, you little bitch! He was my fiancé before you came and snag him from me!" The woman screamed in her ears.  
  
Serenity winced from the pain and cried some more. "I didn't mean to and I didn't know he was already engaged." she cried.  
  
"You didn't know?!" The woman screamed again. "What a terrible excuse!" Serenity was slapped again.  
  
"I'm the one who is worthy of him! I'm the one with a royal blood! A countess and who are you? You are an orphan! A nobody!"  
  
Suddenly Serenity heard a clicking sound. A gun and it was pointed directly at her head. "I'm going to count from one to five and if you won't agree with me. You die!" The woman said harshly.  
  
"One!"  
  
Serenity fidgeted and tried to escape but she was tied up to the chair.  
  
"Two!"  
  
"Please! I beg of you. Please!" She begged.  
  
"Three!"  
  
Serenity sobbed and prayed that Darien wouldn't marry this woman when she died.  
  
"Four!"  
  
A sudden movement was heard.  
  
"Five!" The woman screamed maliciously.  
  
Serenity heard someone run and it seems like there was a fight between the harsh woman and another person. "No!" screamed the woman.  
  
"BANG!"  
  
Serenity winced with pain and she fell in the floor together with her chair. Her blindfolded slipped away from her face and she looked at her bleeding shoulders.  
  
"Serenity!" Darien shouted and before she knew it. The gun was raised towards her again.  
  
"BANG!"  
  
Serenity closed her eyes but Darien suddenly blocked her and he was shot near the head. Serenity screamed and looked at the woman.  
  
She looked at her with this evil expression on her face and smiled. "I'll be back!" The woman said and ran away.  
  
She watched her wavy red hair bounced in her shoulders as she ran towards the door. "I'll be back!" She said again except louder this time.  
  
END OF FLASHBACK!!  
  
"Beryl!" Serenity screamed as she sat up straight in her bed. She was trembling violently and her body was covered with sweat.  
  
"Serenity, what's wrong?" Mr. Harrison asked her.  
  
Serenity looked at him with open eyes. "Please listen to me!" She asked him in a desperate voice while tears flow from her aquamarine eyes.  
  
"What is it?" Mr. Harrison asked gently. "I'll listen."  
  
"Be...Beryl is not to be tru...trusted! She tried to kill me but the Prince protected me and so he was sho...shot in the head!" Serenity cried.  
  
Mr. Harrison hugged Serenity with a tight embrace. She looked at him in her tears brimmed eyes. "Please..." she said sadly."Believe me."  
  
He wiped away her tears and something in Mr. Harrison's eyes changed. He cupped Serenity's face and said, "I believe you."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Additional info: Fiancée if it refers to a woman and Fiancé if it refers to a man. What a small world it is, neh?! Well stay tune everybody next chapter is "Bittersweet" Hahaha! Well love you all again and please REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fanfiction rocks and so are all of you readers out there!!!!! Matta ne!!!)))))(((((ooooooooo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	7. Bittersweet

C H A P T E R 7: BITTERSWEET  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hello to all of you readers!=) Thank you for your support and for reading my story. I love you all and continue to REVIEW!!!!! Keep smiling like me! Ahem** hoho! And enjoy this chapter!!! More suspense coming up!! Love you all and yes Mr. Harrison will already be Darien!! READ and god bless to all of you out there!!!!!!!======00 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Do you really believe me?" Serenity asked him with imploring eyes.  
  
Mr. Harrison looked at the sad beautiful angel in front of him and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Of course, I do." he said.  
  
"You're Darien aren't you?"  
  
He kissed her cheeks and whispered in her ear. "No, but I can pretend to be him if it makes you happy." He said gently.  
  
Serenity sobbed and covered her face with her lithe hands.  
  
"Serenity, look at me." Mr. Harrison said with a voice far deeper than his usual tone.  
  
Serenity looked at him while tears continue to run down from her eyes.  
  
Mr. Harrison sighed and hugged her tightly. "Ever since you have entered my home. I knew that something would happen and you know what? Something did and it made me realize a lot of things." he said.  
  
Serenity wiped her face and sniffed. "What?" She asked while she gazed at his dark blue eyes.  
  
"I realized that I have developed a tender feeling for a person and this is very special because I have never developed any kind of feeling for any person before." Mr. Harrison said tenderly.  
  
Serenity's heart skipped a beat.  
  
"This person is you, Serenity. I can't believe I'm falling in love with a Princess who is in love with her Prince. I am not the Prince and I have no right to replace the Prince." Mr. Harrison said sadly  
  
"Bu...but you are the Prince, Mr. Harrison!" Serenity said and began to cry again. "You have amnesia but someday your memories will all come back to you. I had amnesia too and I recovered it."  
  
Mr. Harrison sighed and continued to caress Serenity's shaking back.  
  
"I must leave, Mr. Harrison. Beryl is going to kill me once and for all." Serenity said slowly and sadly.  
  
"Then I'll come with you." Mr. Harrison said with a genteel smile tugging on his lips.  
  
"No, I can't put you in danger again!" Serenity replied angrily.  
  
"It's better to risk my life for you than stay here and spend my whole life with Beryl, am I right?" asked Mr. Harrison who was still smiling at her as if there was nothing to fear.  
  
Serenity couldn't think of an answer to his question so she asked him a question she wanted to ask ever since. "Tell me about Beryl."  
  
Mr. Harrison's smile faded and he frowned. "Do you really want to know, Serenity?" He asked her seriously.  
  
"Yes." She chirped.  
  
He paused for a while and stroked his chin while sitting cross-legged at her bed. "Well, Beryl is a famous countess and almost all the bachelor in France wants her but she is not the person she shows to the world." Mr. Harrison said mysteriously.  
  
"Huh?" Serenity bit her lips and pondered. "Well?..." she asked him.  
  
"Beryl is beautiful, alluring and provocative and she tries her best to be a kind person but when she is behind my back, she is a whoring bitch. She thinks I don't know her affairs with her boyfriends but I do." Mr. Harrison said dryly.  
  
"Then why are you engaged with her?" Serenity asked angrily.  
  
"She told me that we were already engaged before I had my amnesia and she even showed me newspapers about our engagement."  
  
Serenity's eyes lightened up. "This is very good news!" She said happily.  
  
"How is it good news?" Mr. Harrison asked while raising his brow.  
  
"Unless my memory fails me, I remembered that Beryl tried to kill me because she was furious at me for breaking her engagement with the Prince." Serenity said with her chin held up high.  
  
"What?!" asked Mr. Harrison while his eyes widened with shock and horror.  
  
"Yes, she deceived you all this time." Serenity said. She then placed her hands on his shoulders and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You have the right to love me, Mr. Harrison because you are Darien and from now on, I think you should be called Darien because that's really your name." Serenity said sincerely and lovingly.  
  
"Serenity..." Mr. Harrison whispered tenderly. He then grabbed Serenity by the waist and kissed her passionately and for the first time, he did not ignore the aching feeling but he embraced it with hope and joy in his heart.  
  
It was very early in the morning and the Harrison household was very busy packing their belongings.  
  
Serenity wiped the sweat in her brow. She looked at Darien and smiled. "I'll make you remember." She said silently.  
  
"It's almost time to go." Miss Robins said while fixing her hat.  
  
"Miss Robins, are you sure that Beryl won't ever find us?" Serenity asked worriedly.  
  
The woman laughed loudly. "Why should you worry? We're going to rent an apartment in England and I also had our names changed." Miss Robins said proudly.  
  
"What? How did you do it in just a short period of time?" Serenity asked with eyes wide open. It was like a dream come true.  
  
"Well, let's just say I have connections." Miss Robins said and wiggled her brow towards Serenity.  
  
"The carriage has arrived. It's time to go, Ladies." Mr. Harrison said.  
  
Serenity stood up and hugged Mr. Harrison tightly. "Thank you for everything, Darien!" She said happily.  
  
Mr. Harrison stared at Serenity and kissed her forehead. "The pleasure is mine, Princess." He whispered in her ear.  
  
Miss Robins watched the couple and sighed loudly. "This is such a perfect picture. Am I dreaming?"  
  
"Let's go. There's no time for delay." Mr. Harrison announced and grabbed the suitcases. Miss Robins winked at Serenity and she laughed then, they followed Mr. Harrison.  
  
They rode the big white carriage and were headed towards the train station. The Chauffeur said that it would be a 1 hour ride. Time flew by quickly and they were heading towards a new life. Maybe a better one or so they thought...  
  
During their ride, Serenity watched the scenery outside the carriage. There were so many peasants selling something. There were also very many young woman selling their bodies to survive.  
  
Serenity closed her eyes and remembered Lita. She clenched her hands and looked away. "Could I ever see her again?" She asked herself.  
  
"What?" Mr. Harrison asked her.  
  
Serenity stared at him for a minute and blinked. "Oh, you heard me." She said surprisedly. "I was just wondering if I could ever see my friend again."  
  
"Of course you could if you find her." Mr. Harrison said simply.  
  
Serenity smiled gently and she shook her head. "It's not that simple, Darien. It's just too complicated to fathom." She said sadly.  
  
Mr. Harrison sighed. "You're always thinking of sad things when we are happy, Serenity." He complained.  
  
"I'm sorry. I promise that I won't do it again." Serenity said and she smiled at him.  
  
"One day, I'll find Lita and make it up to her." Serenity said to herself and with that thought. She slept in Mr. Harrison's shoulder.  
  
"Mr. Harrison, are you really the Prince Darien?" Miss Robins asked later on when Serenity was already asleep.  
  
He looked at the old lady and grinned. "I think so, Miss Robins."  
  
"You two are really destined for each other, aren't you? You two could fall inlove with each other again and again." Miss Robins laughed silently.  
  
He smiled and he lingered his gaze on Serenity's beautiful doll-like face. "Yes, that is true." He muttered.  
  
"I wonder how Serenity and I fell in love?" He asked Miss Robins.  
  
The old lady giggled childishly. "You foolish boy! How would I know?"  
  
Mr. Harrison laughed and looked at the scenery. Suddenly his vision began to blur and a lost memory played before his eyes.  
  
Flashback...  
  
"Oof!" The golden haired girl stared at him with her big blue aquamarine eyes and said. "I...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you."  
  
He took the black hood away from his face and smiled at her. "No, I'm sorry. You must be hurt?" He asked.  
  
The girl blushed. "No, I'm...good, err..fine! I'm quiet okay." She stuttered.  
  
"Are you sure?" He asked. He looked at her dirty old ragged clothing. She was a peasant but she was so innocent that he was afraid that some men might take advantage of her. "Where are you parents?"  
  
She looked down at her dirty feet. "I...I don't have one. I'm only an orphan." She said quietly.  
  
"Well then, you should go back to the orphanage. It's dangerous to go out at this time." He said and he grabbed the girl's wrist. "Where is your orphanage? I'll take you there."  
  
"Nu...no! Bu..but I can't go back there! Please!" The girl begged. She was already crying and she was trying to pull her wrist free from his grasp.  
  
He spotted an orphanage center and he told the crying girl. "Please, I'm doing what is best for you."  
  
He knocked the door a couple of times and a thin, stern-looking middle aged woman answered the door. "Prince Darien?" She gasped.  
  
"Is she one of yours?" He asked the woman.  
  
The woman looked at the girl he was holding and placed her hand on her hips. "Serenity! How many times have I told you not to run away?" She hissed. "What did she do, Your Highness?"  
  
He smiled at the pretty girl. "No, she didn't do anything. I've come to return her before she invites harm to herself." He said.  
  
"Thank you, your highness." The woman said and she bowed to him. She hit Serenity's shoulder lightly and Serenity bowed to him as well.  
  
"I'll be leaving now, goodnight." He said and then he began to leave. The woman closed the door and he opened a window and climbed inside the orphanage center.  
  
He wanted to know why the girl was so eager to run away.  
  
"You little witch!" He heard the woman screamed. He followed the voice and peeped inside the room and watched the scene that was taking place.  
  
Inside the wooden room, Serenity's hands were tied to her back and she was made to kneel in the floor scattered with salt and beside her was another girl with brown hair. The other girl was crying silently.  
  
"You shamed me! You are an ungrateful witch! I shelter you, I give you bread and water and you shame me!" The woman screamed and began to hit Serenity with a long wood.  
  
"No! Don't!" The brown-haired girl screamed.  
  
"Oh! So you want a piece of the action too, missy?" The woman asked maliciously and began to hit the other girl too.  
  
"Lita!" Serenity screamed. "Please, leave Lita alone! She has done nothing to you."  
  
"She helped you escape! You think I am a fool, don't you? Mousy looking Miss Krutchet with a brain as small as a peanut! I know everything in this house, you little witch!" The woman screamed and began to hit Serenity with full force.  
  
Serenity winced from the pain and closed her eyes.  
  
"What is going on?" Darien asked angrily.  
  
Miss Krutchet gasped with open eyes. "My Lord, I thought you left already." She trembled.  
  
"I'm going to report you to the authorities." He said icily and he grabbed Serenity and Lita.  
  
"As for you two." He said to them while they were on their way to the castle. "You're going to be my personal maids, okay? But you're not going to do much and I assure you that you won't receive any beatings from now on."  
  
"Thank you." Serenity said gratefully and her friend followed her and bowed to him. "Thank you so much, Your Highness."  
  
End of Flashback...  
  
Mr. Harrison woke up. "Serenity." He said.  
  
"Yes?" She asked him while she rubbed her sleepy eyes.  
  
"I remembered now, how I met you and Lita." He said gently.  
  
"You do?" She asked happily.  
  
"Yes and boy am I glad I got you out of that Miss Krutchet's hands." Darien said with relief.  
  
Serenity smiled. "You know, Miss krutchet reminds me of someone you and I particularly know of." She said with a lopsided grin.  
  
"Beryl." Darien answered and they both laughed.  
  
They arrived at a train station and Darien bought three tickets towards England. They were just in time because if they were a minute late, they would have missed the train.  
  
They arrived in England late in the evening. They rode in Darien' car which was transported from France. They passed through a lonely street called Famie 8th street and a narrow road which was covered with sharp rocks and pebbles.  
  
"This is quite bumpy." commented Miss Robins.  
  
The apartment was peach-colored with a red roof. It had 3 bedrooms with a huge living room. There was also a garden filled with different varieties of roses.  
  
Serenity entered the apartment and chose her room. "I like this one." She said pointing to an empty orange-peach colored oval shaped room.  
  
"Why that is one gorgeous room, Serenity. I think this was really meant for you." Miss Robins said and she proceeded to the next room which was rather large.  
  
"Oh my, this is quite large! I think this room is for Mr. Harrison." Miss Robins commented. She went to the other room and a frown was found in her brow.  
  
"What's wrong, Miss Robins?" Darien asked worriedly.  
  
"Why, this room is rather large too!" She answered.  
  
Darien laughed. "Take any room, Miss Robins. I'm fine with any room here." He said and went downstairs so he can start unpacking.  
  
Days went by and the three of them lived happily in their English apartment. Serenity and Darien visited the English castle and Darien was able to recover some of his old memories back. They were very happy but one day...  
  
Serenity returned to the apartment. It was a chilly afternoon and the house was quiet and lonely. "I wonder where Miss Robins has gone to." She asked herself.  
  
She couldn't ask Darien because he had business to attend to and he would be back by evening.  
  
"So, this is quite a lovely place." A familiar voice commented icily.  
  
Serenity turned her head and gasped. It was Beryl and she brought her gun with her just like the last time.  
  
Flashback...  
  
"Serenity, do you stay here often?" Beryl asked her when she thought she was all alone in the top most room of the castle.  
  
"Oh, Beryl. No, I come here to think." She answered.  
  
"Why do you still think anyway? You have a perfect life! A perfect husband! What more could you ask for?" Beryl asked hiding the silver object in her purse.  
  
"No, I just reminisce my past." Serenity said while looking at Beryl's perfectly manicured fingernails.  
  
"You know, I love my past but then you stole it from me." Beryl suddenly said with a hint of malice in her voice.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Serenity said confusedly.  
  
Beryl suddenly took the gun from the purse and aimed it straight at her heart. "Now listen carefully. Stay put and close your eyes."  
  
Serenity inhaled deeply and tried to ease the wild beating in her heart. She closed her eyes and felt Beryl tie her with a piece of hard fabric. Then her hands were also tied up but it did not feel like Beryl's hands. "Don't be gentle, Idiot!" Beryl hissed.  
  
Someone was there and it was a man.  
  
"Shut up!" The male tenor said. Serenity knew this person. This person was close to her.  
  
"Danny?" She asked. There was no response and she knew that it was him. It was really him but what was his purpose to support Beryl?  
  
End of Flashback...  
  
Serenity looked at Beryl and ran away but as soon as her legs started to move. Beryl shot something near her. It looks like she missed her target but Serenity quivered. "She's really going to kill me this time!" She thought frantically.  
  
"This time I want you to really die!" Beryl screamed. "Danny! Get over here!" She commanded.  
  
Danny appeared behind the door and he looked at Serenity.  
  
"Danny...please help me." Serenity cried.  
  
Beryl stared at Serenity and laughed crazily. "What?! He's not going to help you crazy girl! He's going to kill you isn't that right, Danny?" She asked saucily.  
  
Danny nodded and he slowly raised his gun.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Darien was in his new office with Miss Robins. "Mr. Jaques, what time are we going to go home? I'm afraid Samena will be in danger." Miss Robins said using their fake names in case someone was snooping around.  
  
"I told her we'd arrive tonight." Darien answered.  
  
Then a huge man stood in front of Darien and leaned towards his table.  
  
"Your princess is in danger!" He said silently and then he left the room.  
  
Miss Robins stared at Darien and they both ran out of the office going towards the apartment.  
  
Darien ran as fast as he could therefore, leaving Miss Robins far behind. He couldn't lose, Serenity. She was his only joy.  
  
He opened the door hurriedly and found Beryl and Danny pointing their guns towards Serenity. "Danny! Why?!" He asked his brother angrily.  
  
"Kill her!!" Beryl screamed towards Danny.  
  
Danny's hands were shaking and he pointed it towards Serenity. He fired but there was no bullet.  
  
"You asshole! I'll do it!" Beryl screamed crazily.  
  
Darien ran towards Serenity and Danny tried to grab Beryl's gun.  
  
"BANG!!!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hehehheehehehe! Well there are a lots of questions, neh? Hehehehe! You've got to find it out in the next chapter called "Reasons." Don't forget to Review and once again I love you all and Fanfiction totally rocks man1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	8. Reasons

C H A P T E R 8: REASONS  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hello everybody!! Thank you all for your support and reviews! I'm so sorry for this late update because I have been sick and still is but because I love you all. I finished this chapter!=) Enjoy chapter 8 and please don't forget to REVIEW!!!! It really cheers me up to have reviews! Honest! Ganbatte mina! Fanfiction rocks!!!!!!!!!!=000000000= ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Flashback...  
  
Darien entered his room and he found a piece of paper in his bed. He read it  
  
twice and he ran towards the topmost room of the castle.  
  
"The Princess is going to be killed in the flat room."  
  
Darien began to ponder on that short threat while he was running towards the  
  
thin stairway leading to the topmost room of the castle. It was only him and  
  
Danny who called the topmost room of the castle "Flat room" because it was too  
  
large and flat.  
  
"Did Danny write that?" was Darien's last thought before he opened the door and  
  
saw Serenity tied up in a chair blindfolded and Beryl pointing the gun to  
  
Serenity's head.  
  
"Five!" Beryl screamed.  
  
He ran towards Beryl and pushed her. "No!" screamed Beryl. Then he ran towards  
  
Serenity but suddenly there was gunshot and he suddenly felt numb.  
  
He laid beside Serenity in the floor and he felt his head throb.  
  
"I'll be back." He heard Beryl hissed.  
  
He looked at Serenity and his eyes moisten. "Don't forget me." He whispered  
  
knowing that he would die.  
  
"How could I forget you?" Serenity cried.  
  
Darien smiled gently and winced from the effort of smiling. He felt his  
  
heartbeat slow it's pace and he saw a vision of bright light and it engulfed  
  
his body. He slowly closed his eyes.  
  
"Just don't forget me." He whispered with his last breath.  
  
End of Flashback...  
  
The gunshot hit the wall beside Serenity. She opened her eyes and looked at  
  
Darien and Danny holding Beryl against the wall while the gun in her hand fell  
  
to the floor.  
  
"What's going on?" The woman screamed angrily. "Danny, take your hands off me  
  
or else!" She threatened.  
  
"Or else what, Beryl?" Danny asked sarcastically while narrowing his steely  
  
gaze towards Beryl.  
  
"Or else I'll tell them what really happened, you idiot!" She screamed angrily  
  
and bitterly.  
  
"Go on. Tell them what happened because I don't care anymore. It was your idea  
  
anyway and I just made the mistake of actually believing you." Danny replied  
  
calmly and this only made Beryl more furious.  
  
"What happened?" Darien asked the red-haired woman.  
  
Beryl looked at Darien longingly and smiled seductively. "Danny helped me  
  
planned everything. He helped me trap Serenity and he also helped me discard  
  
you so he could get the crown, isn't that right, Danny?" She purred.  
  
Danny looked at Beryl with disgust clearly evident in his handsome face. "You  
  
see Beryl, I only did that because I was completely infatuated with Serenity  
  
not the crown, you slut!"  
  
Danny looked at Darien. "Darien, do you remember receiving a note in the castle  
  
telling you that Serenity was in danger?" He asked.  
  
Darien nodded. "Your also the one who sent that messenger today, didn't you?"  
  
Darien asked with a half-grin tugging on his lips.  
  
"I guess it's obvious, huh?" Danny laughed.  
  
"Don't believe Danny, Darien! He's lying! He wants the crown! He wants to kill  
  
you! Please listen to me. I'm really telling the truth! I promise." Beryl begged.  
  
"You really think I'm so gullible to believe you again, Miss Beryl?" Darien  
  
asked her scornfully. "For one, I know he wants Serenity and he sent me a  
  
letter so that I could save her and I'm ready to forgive him for that but  
  
you..."  
  
Beryl gritted her teeth and waited for him to continue.  
  
"You are going to prison!" Darien announced and then he grabbed Beryl and gave  
  
her gun to Danny.  
  
"Listen! Everyone! It's all Danny's idea! Please!" Beryl screamed.  
  
"I'll be right back." Darien announced and then left the house with  
  
Beryl.  
  
Danny looked at the bewildered Serenity and smiled tenderly. "Serenity...long  
  
time no see, sister." He said in a joking manner.  
  
Serenity looked at him and she began to cry. "Oh Danny, I really thought you  
  
betrayed me and Darien."  
  
"But I did." Danny whispered while wiping the tears in her eyes. "And I'm  
  
sorry. What I did was wrong. I was so obsessed with you but now, I realized  
  
that I was just infatuated with you."  
  
"Yo...you betrayed Lita too." Serenity said and she continued to sob.  
  
Danny smiled and place his hand on her head. He held her chin with his other  
  
hand and said, "Listen to me, Serenity. I...I'm going to marry Lita. When you  
  
left the castle, I...realized the difference between love and infatuation. I  
  
was infatuated with you and I was not able to notice that I was in love with  
  
her."  
  
Serenity's eyes lightened up with happiness. "I...Thank you!" She sobbed  
  
happily and she hugged Danny tightly.  
  
"Why! You're Danny the Prince's brother, aren't you?" Miss Robins asked him in  
  
the doorway while she was still trying to catch her breath.  
  
"Miss Robins!" Serenity said happily and she ran towards the old woman.  
  
Danny stood and shook the woman's hand. "Yes, I am." He said unable to stop  
  
smiling because for the first time since the last accident, he was able to  
  
right the wrong's he did in the past.  
  
He took Serenity's hand and asked, "Sister, are you ready to come home?"  
  
Serenity looked at him in the eyes and said happily, "Of course." She grabbed  
  
Miss Robin's hand and said to the kind old woman. "Let's go, Miss Robins."  
  
The next day, it was announced that the Prince Endymion was alive and everyone  
  
rejoiced. There was huge welcome back party given to him by his friends and old  
  
time acquaintances.  
  
The party was a huge success and women wore their best silk gowns and men had  
  
on their most expensive tuxedos.  
  
"Welcome back Prince Darien Endymion the 2nd!" Danny announced as he hugged his  
  
brother fiercely.  
  
Everyone cheered and applauded.  
  
"I also welcome back our beloved Princess Serenity!" Danny continued after  
  
hugging his brother. He then went to the smiling Princess to kiss her hand.  
  
Everyone cheered once again and especially the single men.  
  
Serenity laughed silently and she and her Prince exchanged amused glances.  
  
"You're still the most sought after woman even though you're married!" Darien  
  
said exasperatedly.  
  
Serenity giggled. "And you're still the most sought after man that girls would  
  
die for even though you're married." She replied with a grin.  
  
Darien laughed and kissed her cheeks.  
  
The music started and everyone started to dance in the large ballroom. "Would  
  
you like to dance, Princess?" Darien whispered in Serenity's ear.  
  
"Of course, my love." She answered softly and she held his hand as they walked  
  
down the huge staircase leading to the dance floor.  
  
As they started to dance, Darien got something from his pocket. It was a small  
  
black box and he gave it to Serenity. "This is something for you. I bought this  
  
for you when I was still Mr. Harrison and I think it would go nicely with your  
  
gown tonight." He said tenderly.  
  
Serenity was touched by his tender words and tears came streaming down her  
  
lovely face. She opened the box and found an amber earrings with a necklace and  
  
bracelet. Each jewel was lined with Diamond and in the middle was a round red  
  
ruby.  
  
"Thank you" She whispered. She hastily wiped away her tears of happiness and  
  
she hugged Darien. "I love you."  
  
Darien smiled lovingly and said, "I love you too, darling. Well...try it on. I  
  
bet the jewels would glitter brilliantly if you wear it." He took the necklace  
  
and helped her put it on.  
  
Serenity smiled happily and spun around. "How do I look?" She asked cheerfully.  
  
"Beautiful!" Darien replied and he grabbed her hands and they both danced like  
  
professional dancers. Some people stopped dancing just to admire the perfect couple.  
  
For Serenity, she felt like she was in Nirvana. She felt like she would never  
  
be sad again and that starting from now on, she would be happy.  
  
"May I?" Danny asked Darien. The Prince laughed. "Don't keep her all night  
  
long. She's mine" He told Danny jokingly. "Oh go on! Give those girls a chance  
  
to dance with the Prince of their dreams." Danny replied with a lopsided grin.  
  
"So, where's Lita?" Serenity asked Danny.  
  
Danny looked at her as they danced slowly. He did not reply for a while.  
  
"What?" He asked absent-mindedly.  
  
"Where's Lita?" She asked again.  
  
"Lita...she...we had a fight." Danny said quietly.  
  
"What do you mean?" Serenity asked worriedly.  
  
"I'm not sure if I would marry her. I...found another girl. I'm sorry but  
  
lately, Lita has not been herself ever since I told her that you are Darien are  
  
back."  
  
Serenity looked down. "Oh...so who's the new girl?" Serenity asked unsure if  
  
she should be angry with him or not.  
  
"Her name is Kate."  
  
"Wait a minute." Serenity said. "Didn't you just tell me yesterday that you  
  
were in love with Lita? And now, your telling me you met a girl in just a  
  
night?"  
  
Danny shook his head. "Actually, I met Kathy a month ago. We were just friends  
  
but when she told me of her real feeling yesterday. I...think that we are more  
  
uhm...compatible."  
  
"Look Danny, I really don't want to listen to you right now. You've hurt Lita a  
  
million times already even if this is just an exaggeration. You betrayed Lita.  
  
She lied for you and this is all you have to give her in return?" Serenity  
  
asked him angrily and she left him standing alone in the dance floor.  
  
"Serenity! Wait!" Danny called but she pretended that she did not hear him.  
  
Serenity hurriedly walked towards her room. She changed to her night gown and  
  
cried on her pillow. "I'm sorry, Lita. I'm sorry." She sobbed.  
  
There was a knock at her door.  
  
Darien entered and went to her bed. "Darling, what's wrong?" He asked her  
  
gently while stroking her shaking back.  
  
"I...Danny is going to break Lita's heart again." Serenity sobbed.  
  
"Lita is that friend of your in the orphanage, right?" He asked.  
  
"Yes and she is madly in love with that stupid heartbreaker brother of yours."  
  
Serenity said angrily and continued to weep again.  
  
"Let's find a good solution tomorrow morning, okay? I promise. Please stop  
  
crying now it really hurts me to find you sad."  
  
Serenity wiped her tears and hugged Darien. "I'm sorry." She said.  
  
Darien kissed Serenity and stroked her cheek. "Don't be. Sleep my darling and  
  
when you feel better then we can find a good solution to Lita's problem."  
  
"You know, Danny told me yesterday that he was in love with Lita and that he  
  
was going to marry her. Could it be that he was only lying?" Serenity asked.  
  
"Shh...my love. I'll ask Danny when you're asleep." Darien said as he kissed his wife  
  
goodnight.  
  
"Don't forget to ask him about a girl named Kate." Serenity said sleepily  
  
rubbing her tired eyes.  
  
"All right." The Prince said softly and then he closed the door leaving the  
  
Princess to fall asleep.  
  
Darien looked at the huge ballroom and decided that he would ask Danny early in  
  
the morning tomorrow. He glanced at the room which he shares with his wife but  
  
she wasn't feeling very well so he went to the other side of the castle to  
  
sleep in one of the guest room.  
  
Serenity opened her eyes and sat up violently from her bed. She just had the  
  
most terrible nightmare in her life. She dreamed that Beryl came back and shot  
  
her in the head.  
  
She inhaled and exhaled to ease the wild beating of her heart. She wiped the  
  
sweat in her forehead and looked around her room which was very dark.  
  
She lied down again and sense something moved. Could it be a shadow? "Darien?"  
  
She asked. She stood up and lighted the candle near her bed.  
  
She looked around the room to assure herself that she was alone and safe. She  
  
walked towards the mirror and saw the black shadow again.  
  
She turned her back and gasped. Her mouth was covered by a hand and she dropped  
  
her candle making everything black and dangerous.  
  
Morning came...  
  
"Danny, I need to speak to you." Darien said as he walked inside his brother's  
  
large room with creamy colored papered walls and vanilla carpeted floor.  
  
Danny sat up from his four-poster bed and scratched his head. "What is it?" He  
  
asked wearily.  
  
"Are you going to marry, Lita? Serenity's friend?" Darien asked as he sat  
  
beside his brother.  
  
"For crying out loud, brother! I know who she is!" Danny answered irritatedly.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Danny looked at his brother and scoffed. "What do you think?"  
  
Suddenly a maid barged in their room wearing a panicked stricken face. "The  
  
Princess!" She screamed. "The Princess is gone!"  
  
Darien stood up and felt his blood drain from his face. "Did you search the  
  
entire castle?" He asked with a trembling voice.  
  
"I...yes, your highness!" The maid stuttered and began to weep. "I went to her  
  
room this morning to give her breakfast but there was no one!"  
  
Danny remained quiet.  
  
"I want a search immediately!" Darien roared and left the room.  
  
"What could have happened to her?" He thought worriedly. He called the  
  
authorities for an immediate search.  
  
"I don't know if this is possible, your highness." The voice on the other line  
  
said. "It would sound ridiculous."  
  
"What is ridiculous?! My wife is gone!" Darien said angrily.  
  
"Well...the Princess has just recently been found and now she is gone again.  
  
It's...just so absurd." The voice said slowly.  
  
"I do not care! Work on it or else you'll never have a decent job in your life  
  
again!" Darien threatened and placed the receiver back to it's place harshly.  
  
Days passed by and there was still no news of the Princess. Danny remained  
  
quiet and nonchalant of the whole situation. Darien got drunk every night and  
  
always made unkind remarks to anyone nearby.  
  
"Your highness, you have a meeting at Oxford Street tonight." James, the butler  
  
informed him.  
  
Darien stared at him and drank the Port. "I'm drunk, James. Tell them I'm sick  
  
and that my wife is gone and so am I." He laughed and hiccupped.  
  
James sighed and shook his head. "This cannot be cancelled, my Lord. You have  
  
already missed out on so many business deals already. I'm very concerned."  
  
Darien placed the bottle on the table with a loud thud. "Business! Business!  
  
Why doesn't anyone of you idiots understands that my wife is gone?! I need to  
  
find her..." He said sadly and began to cry.  
  
James didn't say anything and left his master alone. "There was no use to snap  
  
the man out of his reverie." He thought.  
  
Later that night, Darien went to Oxford Street with an aching head. "Damn!" He  
  
swore. He told the driver to stop and he walked out of the carriage.  
  
He walked and watched the people pass by. Some people who noticed him bowed  
  
respectfully and went on their way.  
  
Darien saw a familiar brown hair and saw Lita. Lita! He ran towards her.  
  
"Lita!" He called.  
  
Lita saw him and curtsied. "Your highness." She said.  
  
Darien grabbed her shoulders and asked her desperately. "You know where  
  
Serenity is, right?!"  
  
Lita shook her head. "I'm sorry but may I ask? What happened? I'm afraid that I  
  
have just arrived here. I have been traveling around Europe for a month and I'm  
  
not so fond of news."  
  
Darien stared at her and remembered something. "Were you and Danny in love?  
  
What happened between you two?" He asked.  
  
Lita gaped at him. "What are you talking about?" She asked.  
  
"Serenity said that Danny told her you and Danny were in love." Darien  
  
explained calmly.  
  
Lita smiled gently and patted Darien's face. "Danny and I were never in love,  
  
Your highness. In fact, your brother is a professional liar. He's been in love  
  
with Serenity for a long time now and I don't think he got over it yet." She  
  
said.  
  
Darien stared at Lita as if he had just awoken from sleep.  
  
"Trust me. I already had a bad experience with him and I never repeat my  
  
mistakes. If Serenity is gone, it must have something to do with him." Lita  
  
said before entering a building.  
  
It was all making sense. Danny! Danny! He was the one who wanted Serenity to  
  
live! He was the one who helped Beryl so he could have Serenity by himself. He  
  
couldn't believe that Danny was a liar but he is and all the evidence points to  
  
him.  
  
Darien ran towards the castle and went into his brother's room.  
  
It was empty. Darien punched the wall and kicked something. "Hi gorgeous!" A  
  
feminine voice behind him said.  
  
He looked behind his back and stared at a beautiful woman pointing a gun in his  
  
head. "What do you want?" Darien asked angrily.  
  
"I want you dead, your highness." She said simply.  
  
"Kate!" Lita yelled and grabbed the woman's long ebony hair. "Aagh!" The woman  
  
screeched. "Darien! Grab the gun!" Lita screamed.  
  
Darien looked at the two women with open eyes. Kate? That was the name Serenity  
  
told him to find out but he forgot. He should have listened.  
  
"Darien! Grab the gun!" Lita screamed again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Okay, end of chappie! Well you thought it was already a happy ending, neh?! Well it isn't, it still has a long way to go. So was Danny just lying about having this mushy love affair with Lita? And who is this Kate? And what is Lita's connection with Kate and how come they know each other! Who kidnapped Serenity? Could it be Danny or could it be Beryl? Well there must be an answer for every question and you can only know by reading the next chapter which I am still unsure of the title. Hehe! For once, I'm not telling you the name of the chapter.=) Well as for now, Please REVIEW!!!!!! Medicine for me!!! Hehehehe! Love you all!!! And thanks for everythin'!! Woooooooopeee!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	9. Confusing confession

C H A P T E R 9: Confusing Confession  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ohayou, konnichiwa, konban minna san! I want to thank you for your reviews!! This chapter is not so long but I guess you'll forgive me for that, right? Hehe dakara I wanna make chap 10 totemo long. Do you g the jap I'm using? Well dakara is because and totemo is very. Okii!!! Well don't forget to review and tell me what you think about it. Suggestion is accepted with open arms and Enjoy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I don't own Sailormoon. That's sad, isn't it? Well, life goes on... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Darien clenched his hands and grabbed the gun and pointed it to Kate's chest. "What do you want?" He asked the woman angrily.  
  
Kate stopped fighting Lita and sighed heavily.  
  
"Kate, why are you here?" Lita asked her fiercely. "Wait a minute...you're involved with Serenity's disappearance, aren't you?"  
  
The woman glared at Lita. "Why do you always defend her?!" She screamed. "I do have my reasons now more than ever to hate her!"  
  
"Lita, do you know this woman?" Darien asked Lita suspiciously.  
  
Lita nodded. "We used to be friends at the orphanage. She hated Serenity ever since and..." Lita suddenly remembered something. "You like Danny don't you? You loved fairytales like me and since Danny has a prince charming personality you fell for him. Am I right?" She asked.  
  
Kate looked at Lita sharply and shook her head. "No I don't." She said but even she was not convinced of her own answer. "I...think you're all being unfair to him and his feelings right now."  
  
Darien leaned towards the Kate and touched her shoulder. "What do you mean by that?" He asked gently. The truth was that he felt that Danny was miserable but he was not really sure until this girl in front of him confirmed it.  
  
"He's really sad you know..." Kate said and she began to cry. "You'd think that he's just a jealous, obsessed brother but he's not! He's really sweet and kind but deep inside, I know there was something wrong. He was really sad." Kate kept on repeating.  
  
Lita sighed wearily and said, "Kate! He's just using you to get Serenity! He's not kind or sweet! He's just using you."  
  
Kate stood up and slapped Lita.  
  
"You don't know him, Lita. He told me about you and he regretted using you, okay? He regretted everything." Kate answered tearfully.  
  
Lita looked at her while touching her cheek. "I don't believe you." She whispered. "He...just loves to hurt other people..."  
  
Darien suddenly interrupted. "I don't understand...How did you met Danny?" He asked Kate.  
  
Kate breathed heavily. "Danny saved me." She answered simply.  
  
"Save you from what?" Darien asked exasperatedly. He was really getting tired of listening and he just wanted to have his wife back.  
  
"I...was caught stealing and the guards that time were drunk. When they caught me..." Kate breathed again and rubbed her temples then continued. "They ripped my clothes and was going to rape me when Danny suddenly appeared and he saved me."  
  
Lita listened to Kate unable to believe that Danny actually had a heart.  
  
"After he saved me, he said that I could stay in the castle. Everyday, I was treated nicely. I ate delicious food. I was clothed with fine clothes and I slept in a big luxurious room. This was heaven for me." Kate said emotionally.  
  
"I understand." Darien said and stood up to leave the room.  
  
"Wait!" Kate said. "I'm not yet done."  
  
Darien sighed and sat down again.  
  
"Everyday, Danny was working hard searching for Serenity. Every afternoon I watched him secretly lie down in the garden watching the sky in an odd way. One day when he was drunk, he told me that he hated his self for betraying his brother and you, Lita. He asked me why he had to fall in love with his brother's wife! Please understand him..." Kate sobbed.  
  
Darien watched Kate sadly and he remembered the day when Serenity was introduced to Danny.  
  
Flashback...  
  
"Guess who's this?" Someone asked him while his eyes were covered by a pair of lithe soft hands.  
  
"Hmm...let me see. Is she the petite blonde girl with the large aquamarine eyes?" He asked.  
  
Serenity uncovered his eyes by her hands and pouted at him. "Why do you know? Is my hands really obvious?" She asked.  
  
Darien smiled and pinched her cheeks. "You are so cute!" He said and ruffled her long blond hair. "I know the smell of your hands. It smells like peach."  
  
Serenity smelled him and said. "Well...you smell like roses."  
  
Danny arrived and saw them in the garden. "Darien! Who's that girl? I've been gone for only a week and you already found another girl." Danny laughed.  
  
Darien laughed and slapped Danny's shoulder. "This is Serenity..."  
  
"Family name is unknown." Serenity chirped happily. She extended her hand towards Danny.  
  
"And my name is Danny Endymion." Danny said and he took Serenity's hand and shook it for a long time.  
  
It seemed so long that Danny was holding her hand that Darien had to interrupt. "Ah! Danny would you like something to drink?" He asked.  
  
Danny looked at him strangely and smiled quizically. "Sure."  
  
"Danny, can you come with me?" He asked. "Serenity we'll be right back."  
  
"Go right ahead." Serenity smiled.  
  
When they reached the house Danny asked him. "Danny she has the most beautiful eyes, don't you think and...the longest hair like Rampunzel!"  
  
Darien grinned. "Yeah, you like her?" He asked.  
  
"I'm beginning to but I'm suspect that you like her. What about Beryl? I thought your engaged with her?" Danny asked.  
  
He didn't reply.  
  
Danny whistled and patted his back. "Ohoh! You're not going to get away from Beryl's wrath!" He joked.  
  
He looked Danny strangely. "I..."  
  
"I know. You like Serenity. Who wouldn't like her? She's so cute and friendly and down-to-earth." Danny said. "You're not planning to break your engagement are you?"  
  
Darien sighed and said. "Of course not! You like Serenity? You go get her brother! I'm already taken." But as he said that, he felt his heart break.  
  
End of flashback...  
  
"It's all my fault. If I had told Danny that I was interested with Serenity, he wouldn't have followed her all the time and developed strong feelings for her." Darien said to the two girls.  
  
Kate stopped sobbing and shook her head. "Don't blame yourself." She said.  
  
Darien sat beside Kate and told her sincerely. "Listen kate, I love Serenity with all my heart, my soul, more than my life. If you know where she is please help me."  
  
Kate looked at him and she sighed. "All right. She's at Danny's townhouse in Paris."  
  
"Thank you!" Darien said happily and he hugged her tightly.  
  
Before Darien left, Kate said, "I'm sorry for pointing the gun at you, your highness. Danny is not in any way involved in my appearance here. I just did this because I thought I would be helping him but if I'll help him then I'd be doing the wrong thing."  
  
"I'm sorry for pointing the gun at you too and don't worry. You're doing the right thing now." Darien said and left the room hurriedly.  
  
Lita looked at Kate. "I never meant to always take Serenity's side, Kate. You were always making the wrong decision then and that is why I never favored any of your ideas." She said.  
  
Kate smiled softly and admitted. "I know..."  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Serenity glared at his hand, the hand who is currently wiping her bangs off her eyes. She looked at him and stared at this sorrowful face. She fidgeted in her seat liking the idea that she would suddenly become super woman and the rope in her hand would dissolve then she would beat Danny to a pulp!  
  
If there is any word more capable of violence than that then that would be the best word which she would use. Honest!  
  
"Stop glaring at me, Serenity and stop the silent treatment." Danny suddenly said while sighing heavily.  
  
If this is even possible, Serenity's eyes became so narrow that it was almost scary to look at her face.  
  
Danny sighed again and grabbed the nearest chair. He then sat beside Serenity and gazed at her beautiful angry face. He waited for her to say anything. ANYTHING! But she said nothing...  
  
He sighed frustratingly and he forced his self to grab her shoulders.  
  
Serenity's eyes widen with shock and finally she said something, "What in Gemini's sake are you doing?"  
  
Danny sighed again. How many times had he sighed since they arrived here in his Paris townhouse? He sighed almost every minute that he couldn't count how many times he had sighed but then most people wouldn't count how many times they had sighed, right?  
  
"Look, I don't know why you're so mad at me. You're usually so calm and kind but..."  
  
"Sometimes you are so confusing, Danny. I thought you were very happy that Darien and I was finally reunited after so long. I thought you're in love with Lita. What have I done to make you so angry at me to tie me up in this uncomfortable chair?" She asked exasperatedly.  
  
Danny was quiet...  
  
"Okay, great! Now it's your turn to give me the silent treatment, right? Well, I don't care if you won't talk to me for the rest of your life." Serenity said harshly but of course she felt bad but then it was the only way to make this confusing brother-in-law of hers talk.  
  
Danny looked startled for a while and he slowly faced Serenity revealing his really angry face.  
  
"You don't have to tell me that!" He screamed furiously. "I know that you don't care about me because all you care for is Darien! You don't need to remind me..." He said sadly and his voice quavered.  
  
"I...I'm sorry, it's just that you won't answer me." Serenity apologized sincerely. She didn't know that Danny would blow up like that.  
  
Danny looked at her with an ironic yet painful grin on his face. "Do you really want to know the simple truth, Serenity?" He asked slowly.  
  
Serenity blinked a couple of times. She didn't know that this side of Danny could actually exist but then this didn't matter right now. What mattered to her right now was to know the answer and so she nodded her head.  
  
He clenched his fist tightly that his knuckles turned white.  
  
"I love you."  
  
"What?" Serenity asked unsure of what she was hearing. Maybe she heard the wrong word. Maybe she was hallucinating since she was starving. The man couldn't offer her a piece of bread...sheesh!  
  
"I said that 'I love you'." Danny repeated calmly.  
  
"WHAT?!" Serenity asked loudly. She heard the answer but she was just not able to believe that this is true.  
  
"I will say this to you a million times if you like, 'I LOVE YOU'." He shouted making sure that Serenity would hear it this time.  
  
Serenity swallowed and gulped. She opened her mouth to fill her lungs with oxygen. No, it was not that there was no air. She needed her mind to be oxygenated to handle this strange ordeal...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Next chapter may possibly be the last chapter but hey! Wait a minute that's only a maybe.=) Do you want it to end or you want more? Please answer me!!!=) Anywayz just to remind you again that I need your reviews to improve my story and inspire me to do better. Well See yah around!!!! Ganbatte kudasai and FANFICTION rocks!!!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	10. His Secret

C H A P T E R 10: His Secret is revealed  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I just want to thank you all for the reviews you have given me.=) For all my Beta readers for supporting my story. You guys rock! Thanks for everything! Anyhoo, this chapter is not so long and it's mainly about the ahem* secret. And it's not the end yet actually I'm not sure when It's going to end. Well anyway read and enjoy and comments and suggestion is accepted with open arms. Hehe! (Just like the last chapter)=) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sailormoon is not mine. I wish it was. Did I say this already? Uh...well here goes... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Serenity couldn't believe what she was hearing. Of course she knew that Danny "liked" her as in past tense but she never thought that he would still like her.  
  
"I don't understand...What about Lita?" She stammered.  
  
Danny slammed his hand in the nearby wall and paced around the room. "It's all a lie, Serenity. There is no Lita! I'm not happy with you and Darien together, okay?"  
  
Serenity opened her mouth and closed it again. What was she going to say? She was so happy that she wasn't able to realize that Danny was lying all along and that means if he is not happy then...  
  
"So you really didn't care if Darien died in Beryl's hands, didn't you? As long as I was alive! You don't care about your brother!" Serenity wailed.  
  
Danny looked at her with angry eyes.  
  
"Don't say things that have no facts. I love and care for Darien since I was a baby boy! You don't even know how I always tricked Beryl just so that I could keep the two of you alive! Now you know why I am so good in lying." Danny hissed furiously.  
  
"Why?...You see we're happy now. Why ruin it?" She asked softly feeling tears falling down from her eyes.  
  
Danny looked away. He couldn't stand to see Serenity cry because of him. "I'm sorry that I have to be so unfortunate to fall in love with my brother's wife."  
  
"Danny please release me...it's painful."  
  
Danny sighed and began to untie the rope in her hands. Her long fingers and soft skin made him sighed once and again.  
  
When Serenity was already untied, she looked at him and smiled softly. "It's okay to fall in love Danny but if she doesn't feel the same for you then it is called unrequited love. Someday, I'm sure you'll find your soul mate and you'll thank me for it."  
  
Danny stared at her and he began to cry.  
  
It is not so easy for him to listen to her tell him this things. After all these years of plotting and scheming to get her love. She's as loyal as hell towards Darien and she just tells him to thank her for rejecting him whole!  
  
Serenity hugged him and patted his shaking back. "Shh, don't cry..." She whispered.  
  
"I..th...think you're right..." Danny stuttered. "Could you do me a favor?" He asked her.  
  
"All right."  
  
"Could you tell Darien that you came here with me because I had something to show you and promise to me that you won't tell him about this incident?"  
  
Serenity looked at his sorrowful handsome face and nodded.  
  
"I promise."  
  
Suddenly someone barged in the door and then Darien appeared looking more angrier than ever. He scanned the room and his eyes widened with horror when he saw Serenity hugging Danny in her chest. What the hell!  
  
"What's going on in here?" He roared and glared at Danny.  
  
Serenity kept her mouth close and so did Danny. None of them had the explanation for this hugging thing and if they did then the secret will be out.  
  
"Get off!" Darien shouted angrily startling Serenity and making Danny jump out of Serenity's hug.  
  
"Danny I never thought that you would do this to me. First you help, Beryl and now you take my wife! How could you do this?!" He asked ferociously.  
  
"I..." Danny looked down.  
  
Darien grabbed his brother. "Why?! Answer me!" He demanded.  
  
"Please let's stop this..." Serenity begged.  
  
Darien released his brother and stalked towards Serenity. "Now, your on his side! He's the enemy, Serenity! And why were you hugging him?!"  
  
Serenity gaped at Darien and began to sob. Why was he so angry? Did he assume that I was doing indecent things with his brother?  
  
"It's none of your business!" Serenity spat. She felt hurt and angry. How could he think of her like that?  
  
Darien's blood began to boil.  
  
"Of course it's my business! You're my wife and I see another man in your arms. How is that supposed to make me feel? Am I supposed to forget everything?" He asked sarcastically.  
  
"I can't believe you Darien Endymion! You're being arrogant and unkind. Do you really think it's possible for us to betray you?" Serenity asked angrily.  
  
"Now I'm the enemy!" Darien shouted.  
  
"You know what? I shouldn't have remembered you or any of my memories. I had a very peaceful life back when I was just Mr. Harrison. I wouldn't have worried if my wife was doing it with another man or my brother because I didn't remember you!" Darien said angrily and went out of the door and out of the house.  
  
Could this be out of her life too?  
  
Serenity sobbed sorrowfully and this time it was Danny who comforted her. "I'm sorry, I let you promise. You should have just told him the truth." Danny admitted sadly.  
  
"No, you did the right thing. I realize that he thinks that I'm just this whore! I never thought..." She sobbed brokenly.  
  
"Please don't say that, Serenity. He loves you more than his life and if I were you, I would be happy by that fact alone." Danny said.  
  
Danny finally realized the trouble he had brought between Serenity and Darien. This was all his fault and it was his responsibility to fix this.  
  
It didn't matter if Serenity didn't love him because now he knew that she cared about him. That alone made his heart happy and he knew that Serenity and Darien was meant to be together.  
  
He would forget about his insecurities and fix this.  
  
"Tomorrow, we're going back to France." Danny said to Serenity.  
  
"But..."  
  
"This needs to be fixed, Serenity. This is just a big misunderstanding caused by me and I need to fix this or I will regret this for the rest of my life." Danny explained.  
  
Serenity smiled and nodded her head. "Thanks." She said softly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Darien slammed to the door and sat stiffly at his bed. This bed...this bed where Serenity used to sleep? He sat up and stared at the bed disgustingly.  
  
"What the hell just happened there? Are they lovers?" He thought angrily and then he kicked a nearby trashcan and sent it crashing towards the wall.  
  
He remembered Serenity's angry face. "Why should she be angry? The role was reserved for him, not for her and why the hell was she defending Danny? I thought Danny kidnapped her..."  
  
He was so confused.  
  
Knock! Knock!  
  
Darien ignored it and continued to pace around the room.  
  
"Your highness?" Kate opened the door and came in the room. "What happened?" She asked softly.  
  
Darien continued to ignore her.  
  
Kate looked at him and waited for an answer.  
  
"Did Danny mention something about having an affair with Serenity?" Darien suddenly asked.  
  
Kate shook her head. "What do you mean? Danny was always talking about his unrequited love for Serenity. That's impossible beside even though I don't like the Princess, I know that she isn't the type to cheat."  
  
"Whatever you say, I saw them...embrace...passionately..." Darien felt his heart burn and his knees weakening from the sight that he saw. Jealousy engulfed him sucking the light within him only leaving the hollow pit of darkness.  
  
Kate shook her head again and before leaving the room she asked him, "There's an explanation for everything."  
  
"Wait!" Darien called.  
  
Kate stopped walking and her eyes widened. "Do you know that you're only half-brothers with Danny?" She asked anxiously.  
  
"What? No but we have the same parents."  
  
Kate smiled smiles that Darien apparently did that know that there was a hidden meaning behind that smile. "Have you ever notice that Danny is insecure with his self?" She asked.  
  
Darien tried to remember but nothing...so he just shook his head.  
  
"Danny has always envied you Darien. Do you know that Danny is older than you?"  
  
Darien gaped at Kate this time. His parents told him that he was the older one. He even saw their birth certificates. "No! You're lying...if he was older then the throne should have been passed on to him and not to me."  
  
"Well, isn't that too bad?" Kate asked sarcastically recalling the day when Danny told her his secret. She promised Danny not to tell it to anyone but this time, this secret must be used to make Darien understand.  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
Kate looked at him and explained, "When the king married your mother, she was already secretly pregnant with another man's um...you know and the king did not know yet until he was beginning to get suspicious especially during her early labor. That was just abnormal so he hired this doctor for some blood testing and then BAM! The secret is revealed."  
  
Darien frowned as he let brain absorb this new really strange information.  
  
"So..." Kate continued. "They had a fight for a year but then they couldn't get a divorce or it would be a huge scandal so they began to repair their friendship but they had agreed that the first son would not get the crown since it was another man's son."  
  
"I see..." Darien muttered.  
  
"When Danny knew this, he was 14 years old. He already knew that he was not the younger brother. He already knew he was the unwanted child. He loved you but he always envied the fate you have and now his jealousy is much greater because you have captured the heart of the girl of his dreams. Please, understand him, Darien?"  
  
Darien nodded. "You may now leave, Kate." He said but Kate knew that this was more of a demand.  
  
"Please...think about it."  
  
The door closed and Darien sat in his chair. "I shouldn't have encouraged him to go after, Serenity." He whispered and began to cry. First, he was angry at him and Serenity and now...he was regretting for the things he did to his younger bro...no, older brother.  
  
End of Chapter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~So everyone who has hated Danny, now you know why he has multiple personalities. It's really hard to be insecure, neh? But I guess it can't be avoided. Duh? Well unless you go to heaven. Hehehehe! Anhoo! Review!!!! Next chapter maybe the last or like what I said in the last chapter. It's a maybe not a "Sure". Hehehehehehhee! Fanfiction rocks!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	11. Tears of Joy

C H A P T E R 11: Tears of Joy  
  
Written by: Yukinokawaiichan  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shibaraku desu ne. Minnasan! I know, I know. You're probably wondering why it took me so long. Well, I had a vacation with my family. It was a memorable and relaxing vacation. Anyway, this is the second to the last chapter. Actually, this is the ending and the next chapter is the epilogue. Please enjoy reading and just in case you cry, please grab a tissue box beside you. Lastly, REVIEW!! By the way, Thank you for your reviews especially to those who really read my story even through thick and thin. My special thanks to Kalinda chan, Coey chan, Serenity Angel in Heaven, Moongirl 5657, Serena 79, Usagi Usako Chiba chan, Asuka 2004, Poison moon, Daisy 31, Nunnya Buiznes, Aquarius chan, Steel heart rose, Lady of Enchantment, Krystal-jade, Passion tep, Sailor of the sun, Silver wing phoenix, Lady Tristana rogue, snivelly 08, Serenyty chan, GoddessSerenity, Silver Mo, Crystal-glass-roses, Moon angel Princess Thank you!!! I love you all! For those of you who reads this for the first time. Please tell me what you think and stay tune for the next chapter which is the epilogue, I'm sure you'll like it. =) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What do you think?" ,asked an unknown voice.  
  
"I don't know. Do you think we're making the right decision?" another voice  
  
asked worriedly.  
  
"I can't believe we're doing this." The voice muttered.  
  
"We need the money albeit this is not right."  
  
"What are you boys talking about?" A feminine voice asked saucily.  
  
The two men stood up immediately and straightened their back. The woman smiled  
  
and patted their shoulders. "Can I trust the both of you?" she asked  
  
seducingly.  
  
The two men coughed.  
  
"Yes! Of course!" The men said gruffly.  
  
"Now this is what you need to do..." The woman began to instruct.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Danny gazed at his window and looked at the busy streets below. He clenched his  
  
fist until his knuckles turned white. He gave a loud sigh and got something  
  
from his pocket.  
  
It was a withered brown-leathered box. He opened it and stared at a silver  
  
ring. His mouth formed a tight line as he began to remember an unwanted memory.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Flashback...  
  
It was his 14th birthday and there was a huge celebration for him. He checked  
  
his appearance in the mirror and grinned. "Let's do it!" He said to his  
  
reflection and went towards the ballroom where the feast was happening.  
  
"Happy Birthday, Prince Danny!" Everyone cheered and raised their wineglasses  
  
at him. He raised his own cup of juice towards the crowd and bowed graciously.  
  
"Happy Birthday, brother." Darien greeted him. At that time, Danny still  
  
thought that Darien was a year older than him.  
  
"Thank you." Danny said cheerfully.  
  
Danny ran towards his father and cheerfully said, "Father, father. Thank you  
  
for this wonderful party."  
  
The king winced and straightened his voice. "Actually, It was your mother who  
  
arranged this celebration, Danny."  
  
He hid his disappointed and smiled even wider. "Well, I know you'd still  
  
arrange an celebration for me even without mommy."  
  
The king looked at him and nodded. "Go on and play." He said suddenly and Danny  
  
left with a heavy heart. His father didn't even bother to smile or greet him a  
  
happy birthday.  
  
"Father! Did you see that magician outside?" Danny heard Darien asked their  
  
father. He quickly hid behind a huge bouquet of flowers so that he could listen  
  
to their conversation.  
  
Suddenly the King smiled brightly and replied cheerfully. "Oh yes I heard that  
  
he is the best magician in Europe and that he is actually a devil."  
  
"Oh Father, I want that magician on my birthday too!" Darien said excitedly.  
  
The king patted Darien's head. "Of course, son. I would give you a party three  
  
times as large as this on your birthday."  
  
"Oh no...it would be unfair, Father." Darien said while shaking his head.  
  
"Shh, it wouldn't. Danny would handle it like a man." The King said seriously  
  
replacing his smiling face with a thoughtful one.  
  
"I just want the magician, Father. Oh look! The magician has another trick, see  
  
you later, Father." Darien said hurriedly and excitedly.  
  
"Take care of yourself, son."  
  
Danny wiped the tears in his eyes and sniffed. He knew that his father always  
  
favored Darien but...this was so unfair. If he was the older child, would his  
  
father favor him more?  
  
He ran outside quickly to get away from everyone and went to his secret garden.  
  
His mother brought him there when he was 10 and ever since, he stayed there  
  
whenever he felt down.  
  
"Please leave now, Jonathan." He heard his mother's voice.  
  
"I can't, Emilya. Please...come back to me." The male voice begged desperately.  
  
"The past is gone now, do you understand? I love the King and I don't love you  
  
anymore. Please let me live peacefully." Emilya said.  
  
"Why?...You told me that you would never stop loving me." The male voice sobbed  
  
heart-brokenly. "What about my son?! I want to see him." The man demanded.  
  
Danny hid behind the bushes and his eyes opened wide when he saw the man who  
  
was talking to his mother. The man had shoulder length brown hair that was tied  
  
in a low ponytail. His shoulders were broad and he was very tall. The man was a  
  
handsome man.  
  
"No! You can't see him. He doesn't know anything about you." Emilya cried.  
  
"I want to see my son!" The man screamed. "I want to see, Danny! I see all his  
  
pictures in the paper but I'm sick of looking at a stupid paper. I want to see  
  
him live in the flesh."  
  
"Please! Don't cause any more trouble. I already had enough of it." Emilya  
  
began to cry. She placed her hands on the man's shoulders to prevent him from  
  
entering the castle.  
  
Danny stood up and head towards the couple. He stopped in front of his mother  
  
and said coldly, "that's why Father hates me so much. I'm not his son, right? I  
  
hate you!" He screamed.  
  
He faced towards the man beside his mother and cried. "Father...please take me  
  
away from here. I'm not wanted here but at least I know that you want me."  
  
The man hugged him fiercely. "Son." He said gruffly liking the sound of his  
  
fatherly voice. He looked at Emilya and her fatigue, sorrowful face.  
  
"I can't..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm sorry son but it is your mother who you should thank. Without her, you  
  
could have been in the orphanage, right now."  
  
Danny clenched his fist.  
  
The man got a brown-leathered box from his pocket and gave it to Danny. Then he  
  
leaned down and whispered in Danny's ear, "Son, take this ring and give it to  
  
someone you love and make sure that she feels the same way as you feel for her  
  
because I made that mistake and I don't want you to feel the loneliness and  
  
regret that I'm feeling."  
  
Danny looked at him and cried loudly. "Don't leave! Please don't leave!"  
  
The man stood up and patted his head. "I'm sorry, son."  
  
"No! Take me with you, please!" Danny cried.  
  
"Goodbye, Emilya and Danny..." He said. and left him with his mother without a  
  
second glance.  
  
End of Flashback...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~  
  
Danny stared at the ring for the last time before putting it back in his  
  
pocket. He was going to give it to Serenity before but he knew that he would be  
  
committing the same mistake as his father.  
  
But it was useless. Even if he didn't gave the ring to Serenity, he was feeling  
  
the loneliness and regret hugging him tightly in the chest.  
  
He sighed and looked at Darien's picture in a picture frame in his study table.  
  
This wasn't Darien's fault. All he did was live life. He didn't know that Danny  
  
was older or only his half-brother.  
  
He was not going to ruin his brother's life just because his life was. He stood  
  
and fixed his collar. "Serenity!" He called.  
  
A minute later, Serenity emerged from a door wearing a beautiful blue dress.  
  
"Yes?" She asked softly.  
  
Danny smiled and he felt sorry for her. "She must feel anxious and worried and  
  
it's all my fault." He thought. "It's time to go to the castle." He announced  
  
and went down the stairs.  
  
Serenity nodded and followed him slowly.  
  
Her knees were shaking just by the thought of meeting Darien's angry face. She  
  
bit her trembling lips to control her teary eyes. She was still angry at him  
  
but she missed him terribly and she didn't want this anymore. She wanted to be  
  
in Darien's arms again...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Four days. Four days of waiting anxiously. Four sleepless nights and 96  
  
agonizing hours. Darien paced around his room and once in a while, he would  
  
look out his window anxious to find Danny and Serenity to come but...are they  
  
even coming?...  
  
He scratched his head angrily. Even if they would come, what would he do then?  
  
Welcome them happily and say that everything is great. Crap!  
  
He imagined Serenity's smile and punched a nearby wall. Is this what love can  
  
do? Destroy innocent walls? If that's the case, love should not be prohibited  
  
because it's bad for the wall's health.  
  
He sat down in the floor and crossed his arms.  
  
What is he going to do? That question has been bugging him day and night and  
  
still he didn't have an answer to the simple question.  
  
"Hmm...Serenity and Danny..." He whispered.  
  
He closed his eyes and a sudden picture flashed in his mind. A picture of  
  
Serenity holding Danny in her arms. He shook his head and punched the wall  
  
again.  
  
He stood up and called his mother who was having a vacation in New York.  
  
"Hello?" His mother's voice asked.  
  
"Mother. This is Darien."  
  
"Oh Darien...how are you? How is Danny?"  
  
Darien didn't answer for a while. "I...is it really true that you had an affair  
  
with another man? Danny is my half-brother, is that right?"  
  
His mother coughed violently.  
  
"How...how come you know that?" She asked.  
  
"It's a small world, mom. I only want details and answers." Darien said calmly.  
  
"Well...it's true but I want to tell you how it really happened.  
  
Darien stared at the black telephone and sighed. "Please do..."  
  
"It was Danny's 14th birthday and his father, Jonathan came without invitation.  
  
Danny was in the garden and he heard..."  
  
Emilya told the whole story to Darien.  
  
After the call, Darien wiped the sweat in his forehead. It must have been so  
  
terrible for Danny...but he didn't have the right to be obsessed with Serenity  
  
anymore. She was already married to him.  
  
"A visitor has arrived." The butler announced.  
  
Darien ran towards his window and looked at the sight below. Danny and Serenity  
  
got out of the carriage then he placed his arm around her shoulders and said  
  
something to her. Serenity smiled and glanced around the castle until her eyes  
  
settled in his window...to him. She quickly turned away.  
  
Darien's blood boiled. He could almost hear the kettle scream because the water  
  
has already reached it's highest boiling point.  
  
"What are they doing here?!" He asked angrily.  
  
He stomped his ways towards the entrance door and faced Serenity and Darien.  
  
"You are not welcome here and I am sick." He said coldly and went towards his  
  
room again.  
  
Serenity and Danny looked at each other and he squeezed her hand.  
  
The butler sighed and said. "I'm sorry, the Prince has been in a very bad mood  
  
lately. If you will follow me, I will take you to your room."  
  
They followed the butler and Danny whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, cheer  
  
up! Everything will be fine, eventually."  
  
Serenity looked at him and nodded. Even if Danny told her that a million times,  
  
she could never be convinced.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~  
  
Danny knocked at his brother's room.  
  
Silence  
  
He knocked again. Once, twice, three times and four. "What do you want?" asked  
  
a very annoyed voice. A voice that belong to his only brother or half- brother.  
  
He opened the door and stared at Darien's cold face. "Please, don't look at me  
  
like that, brother. It's not like I stole your wife." He joked.  
  
Darien frowned and Danny realized that his joke wasn't particularly funny.  
  
Danny sighed and sat down at one of the chairs.  
  
"Really, even if I did stole your wife. It would be no fun because she's loyal  
  
to you forever. You lucky man, it's not everyday that you fall in love with  
  
someone and she feels the same way for you."  
  
Darien looked at his brother and his hearts softened.  
  
"Darien, I...have a confession to you." Danny said suddenly.  
  
"What confession?" He asked.  
  
"I'm just a half-bro..." Danny said but he was suddenly interrupted.  
  
"I know all about that, Danny. Do you feel bad that you and your father have  
  
the same fate when it comes to love?" He asked not knowing that he was hurting  
  
Danny badly.  
  
"No, I don't besides...he gave a ring and I didn't. Huge difference."  
  
Darien shook his head.  
  
"All right, Danny. What is this all about? I know that you and Serenity have an  
  
affair, don't you?"  
  
"I don't know why you have to be like this, Darien but you know how loyal  
  
Serenity is to you. If she really liked me then she wouldn't have escaped the  
  
castle and find you. She could have married me instead."  
  
"Well, how do you explain the way you two seem to be so comfortable in each  
  
other's presence. I know what I saw and I saw the two of you...you two seemed  
  
to be very comfortable."  
  
Danny clenched his fist. "You know I wish that Serenity and I are having an  
  
affair but we don't and that is why I'm here right now. I want to stop this  
  
stupid fight between the two of you. Open your eyes, brother! I know that deep  
  
inside you, you believe that Serenity is innocent but you force yourself to  
  
believe in what you see." Danny breathed for a while.  
  
"But..."  
  
"Listen to me." Danny persisted and continued. "I know you're a very sensible  
  
person, brother but for once, please listen to what your heart is telling you.  
  
You love her and she loves you. I'm not included in the story and if I am, then  
  
I am... just the bad guy..."  
  
"I don't know if I can trust you anymore, Danny." Darien said all of a sudden.  
  
"How do I know that this is for real? How do I know that this is not one of  
  
your tricks so that you can have Serenity for yourself and including the  
  
crown?"  
  
Danny sighed and slapped the table. He inhaled and exhaled trying to calm his  
  
frustration. "This is for real and I'm not lying. I'm really sorry I'm the bad  
  
guy, okay? but I have always been the unwanted ever since I was born."  
  
"Slam!"  
  
Danny looked up and stared at the door. Why won't Darien listen to him? He  
  
thought that Darien would understand him but it was different now. He must have  
  
hurt Darien real badly. How...how could he make his right again?  
  
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Darien kicked a pebble in the road. Somehow, he knew that Danny was right  
  
but...he just won't, can't listen. Is it his pride? or is it that he was  
  
actually telling the truth and that he cannot trust Danny anymore.  
  
He placed the hands on his pocket. The weather that night was cold. His mood  
  
and the weather matched perfectly. This was his day. Crap again!  
  
Suddenly two strong arms grabbed him. What the hell!  
  
He turned his head and found two strong masculine guys holding each of his arm  
  
tightly. "What do you want?" He asked weakly. He was too tired from emotional  
  
fatigue, he couldn't fight.  
  
The two men looked at each other and back to him.  
  
"Someone wants to see you." The man said.  
  
"Who?" Darien asked.  
  
"Just come with us." The other man replied mysteriously. Darien shook his head  
  
but the two men dragged him and he had no other choice but to follow them.  
  
"Who would want to see me?" He asked his self.  
  
Later, they arrived at a large house. A beautiful house. They entered the gate  
  
and passed through a white fountain. The double door creaked as they went in  
  
and a feminine odor emanated from the place.  
  
"This odor is familiar." Darien thought suspiciously.  
  
"Sit down." The man commanded.  
  
Darien sat at the sofa near him and looked around the place.  
  
"Is he here?" A very familiar womanly voice asked. Darien's eyes opened wide  
  
and stared at the curvaceous figure climbing down the circular stairs.  
  
It...it was Beryl wearing an orange colored mini-skirt and a see-through golden  
  
short-sleeved blouse. He could see her breast...she was so indecent.  
  
"Darien dear! I miss you, darling." Beryl laughed and sat at his knees. She  
  
held his face and licked her lips. "I miss you sooo much!" She said sweetly.  
  
Darien resisted the urge to hurl.  
  
"You're heavy." He said coldly.  
  
"Am I? Well that means you haven't work out lately, haven't you? You're too  
  
worried about Danny and Serenity's affair?" She asked.  
  
Darien gaze narrowed into her eyes. "How do you know that?"  
  
Beryl smiled at him. "Umm...connections, I guess." She smirked and audaciously  
  
kissed him on his lips. "Delicious..." She moaned. "Oh how much I miss doing  
  
that."  
  
Darien slapped her and pushed her away. "What do you want?!" He asked angrily.  
  
"Why are you not rotting in prison?"  
  
Beryl stood up and held her head up high. "That's because I'm a countess and I  
  
have strong connections."  
  
Darien stood up and began to leave.  
  
"Tie him up!" Beryl shouted.  
  
The two men grabbed Darien and began to tie him in a chair. Beryl smiled  
  
menacingly and sat down in his lap again.  
  
"Now we can talk more sensibly, right?" She asked.  
  
Darien rolled his eyes.  
  
"All I want is to end your sufferings, my love and the both of us will be  
  
happy. You just have to drink this pill." Beryl said standing up and getting a  
  
glass of water in the table and a piece of white pill beside it.  
  
Darien shook his head.  
  
"Do it or I'll shoot you!" Beryl threatened. She grabbed a gun from one of the  
  
men and pointed it to his head. "Come on, be a good boy."  
  
"No!" Serenity cried appearing all of a sudden together with Danny.  
  
Danny ran towards Beryl and fought with her so that she won't be able to move  
  
and use the gun.  
  
"Let go of me, Danny!" Beryl screamed. "Robert! Help me!"  
  
The man with the gun pointed his gun at Danny and Serenity jumped on him and  
  
kicked his balls and sprinted towards Darien and began to untie him. "Darien,  
  
Darien are you all right?" She asked worriedly.  
  
Darien looked at Serenity and felt warmth in his body. "Yes, I am." He said and  
  
then when he was untied, he punched the one of the men and grabbed his gun but  
  
before he could get it, the other man already fired his gun at him.  
  
"Bang!"  
  
Serenity quickly covered him and was shot in the chest. She winced in pain and  
  
let out a painful gasp then she fell in the floor. Darien growled in anger and  
  
quickly got the gun and shot it to the man.  
  
Darien quickly went to Serenity's side. "Serenity, please hang on. I'll get  
  
help." He said gently.  
  
She opened her eyes that showed pain but she smiled. "I...I'm glad that I was  
  
able...to protect you this time. I...always...wanted to do that..." She said  
  
softly. Her breath was decreasing and she slowly closed her.  
  
Tears sprang in Darien's eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for everything. Please  
  
hang on, Serenity!" He cried as he hug Serenity to give warmth to her cold  
  
body.  
  
Beryl laughed all of a sudden. A psychotic laugh.  
  
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I couldn't kill Serenity but her husband could.  
  
Now, I have nothing to worry anymore!" Beryl said crazily.  
  
Darien clenched his fist and pointed it towards Beryl. "Go to hell, Beryl!" He  
  
roared and then pulled the trigger.  
  
Danny suddenly ran towards him and pushed him as far away as possible. There  
  
was the sound of a gunshot and Darien turned his head to find Danny lying in  
  
the floor while his right shoulder was bleeding fast.  
  
Darien yelled in anger and shot the remaining man consecutively.  
  
Beryl looked at him in fear. She knew that Darien would kill her next but she  
  
didn't want to die yet. She quickly pointed her gun towards Darien.  
  
"Bang!"  
  
Beryl fell to the floor. Her eyes and mouth were closed. Darien looked at her  
  
and turned his head. Danny held the gun in his hand while trying to stand up  
  
despite the pain in his bleeding shoulder.  
  
"Danny..." Darien was touched that Danny saved him. His half-brother who was  
  
supposed to hate him for everything.  
  
"Darien, don't give me that look." Danny growled softly, breathing hard.  
  
"I...I'm sorry, brother." Darien said sincerely.  
  
Danny nodded and smiled. "You don't need to. I'm the one who's supposed to say  
  
sorry. I'm sorry. I think...you're still the best brother in the world."  
  
"Bang!"  
  
Darien turned his head and found Beryl smiling devilishly at him. "Bye bye."  
  
She said sweetly.  
  
He touched his head and felt something moist. He looked at his hand and found  
  
blood...blood? He felt a sharp pain in his head and he collapsed in the floor.  
  
"Bang!"  
  
Beryl fell to the floor. Her eyes and mouth were wide open in shock. She was  
  
not breathing anymore. She's dead for good.  
  
Danny winced and threw the gun away and in another second, his eyes closed and  
  
he fell into the darkness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Serenity and Danny went inside his room. Serenity's shot did not hit her  
  
internal organs and she was able to recover in a week. Danny too was quickly  
  
healed. The two of them stared at the Prince.  
  
Two months had passed by and Darien laid in his bed. Bandages were wrapped  
  
around his head. He was breathing peacefully but he never waked up. The Doctor  
  
said that it might be possible that he would never wake up or if he did, he  
  
would probably have a permanent amnesia.  
  
Serenity cried in Danny's shoulders.  
  
"Why? It should have been me. I thought I saved him but I didn't!" Serenity  
  
yelled in frustration and sorrow.  
  
Danny patted her back. "I'll be right back." He said.  
  
He went out the door and found Kate waiting for him. "How is he?" She asked.  
  
Danny shook his head and tears went down his eyes. Kate hugged him as if he was  
  
a little boy who lost his favorite toy.  
  
"It will be all right, Danny." She said unsure if what she was saying was true.  
  
Meanwhile, Serenity held Darien's hands tightly. "Darien, I...Please wake up.  
  
Wake up! I...don't care if you'll never remember me. I just want you to wake  
  
up. I just want to see your smiling face." She cried.  
  
She stared at his peaceful face.  
  
Ever since, she was healed. She kept on visiting Darien and she always talked to  
  
him. When she heard that it might be possible that he would have permanent  
  
amnesia. She refused to believe that information and when she talked to him.  
  
She always talked about their time together.  
  
"Please..." She sobbed. "We can...make new memories. We'll make a happier one!  
  
No Beryl, no chaos!" She cried and laid her face in his hand.  
  
She rubbed her face in his soft hand and she was somehow comforted just by  
  
touching his hand. She imagined that he was well and he was stroking her cheek.  
  
"Don't leave me. I love you...How could I ever live without you?...I love you.  
  
I love you. I love you, Darien. Please...wake up."  
  
Her tears fell into his hand and suddenly his fingers moved.  
  
Her eyes opened up wide. "Darien! Darien!" She said happily. His eyes slowly  
  
opened and he stared at her with a confused face.  
  
Even though, Serenity was disappointed that Darien didn't remember her, she  
  
tried to be happy because Darien was alive and she convinced herself that they  
  
would make new wonderful memories together.  
  
"Serenity..." He whispered.  
  
Serenity gasped and she hugged Darien tightly. "Darien, Oh Darien! I'm so glad  
  
you remember me...I don't care if you don't remember the rest. I'm so glad that  
  
you remember me." She cried in joy.  
  
"Serenity, Thank you." He said weakly.  
  
She looked at him and asked, "Thank you? for what?"  
  
Darien wiped the tears in her eyes and caressed her cheeks. "I heard your  
  
voice...Serenity. I heard your sweet voice and I saw this white light. It was  
  
so far away and I thought I could never reach it but...suddenly a thousand  
  
butterflies suddenly engulfed me and they carried me towards the light, towards  
  
your voice and then...I saw you." He said.  
  
"I...I'm so glad." Serenity whispered and more tears sprang in her eyes. Tears  
  
of Joy that shed all pain and was replaced by happiness.  
  
The door opened and a bewildered Danny and a confused Katy went in. Danny's  
  
eyes opened wide and he smiled for the first time in months. "Brother!" He  
  
shouted. "You're alive!"  
  
Darien laughed. "OF course I am. How about you?"  
  
Danny laughed. "I think I resurrected." He grinned and sat down in Darien's  
  
bed.  
  
Darien looked at him and he squeezed his undamaged left shoulder. "Danny, I  
  
forgive you. I was not able to say that but now I'm glad that I have the chance  
  
to tell it to you." He said seriously.  
  
Danny wiped the tears in his eyes. "Thank you, brother."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I'll tell you again. This is not the ending yet. There is still an epilogue.=) Tell me what you think and ask me all the questions in your head and I'll put a special chapter to answer all of you. Domo Arigatou Gozaimashita! Thank you for all the support and don't forget to Review. I love you all. God Bless! Fanfiction rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	12. Epilogue

E P I L O G U E   
  
Thank you! Thank you for your reviews!=) This is finally the ending of my story. I really really really really really really really hope you like it. Take care! Sniff I feel so connected to all of you now. I don't want to say Ciao yet! I'm going to miss you all and okay I'll stop yapping. Sniff Love you all and even if this is the last chapter, I would still appreciate reviews and comments on how you find the over-all story. Well, Gambatte ne minna san and FANFICTION ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
  
Oooooo I wish SM was mine but it isn't...I wish there's a real human Darien. Wouldn't that be great?! Ohohohohoho! Well if you're not a girl then all I can say to you is that wouldn't it also be great if there was a human Serenity?! Hey if you are one...don't forget to mail me. Jodai!!! (Joke) hehehehehe!   
  
"What? You're going to go on a honeymoon again?" Lita asked excitedly.  
  
Serenity laughed and nodded. "Yeah, Darien wants to have a second child, he says he  
  
wants a girl." She giggled.  
  
"Wow, that's great."  
  
"And you, Lita? How are you in Russia? How's the Prince?" Serenity asked. 2  
  
years has passed by since Darien woke up. During that time, Lita decided to  
  
have a vacation in Russia. She met the Prince of Russia accidentally and they  
  
fell in love.  
  
"Hmm...well the Prince is still very romantic." Lita said dreamily.  
  
"How's Lucy?" Serenity asked.  
  
"Lucy's great! She's going to be 2 years old this coming September. She's just  
  
so cute, Serenity. Her hair is curly brown and her eyes are like mine, green."  
  
Lita said dreamily. "How about your Derick?" She asked.  
  
"He's such a gorgeous little boy. When he grows up, how will I ever protect him  
  
from a tidal wave of girls?" Serenity sighed exasperatedly in the phone.  
  
"Tsk! tsk! You would need to borrow Darien's army."  
  
"Maybe." Serenity agreed.  
  
"WAH!"  
  
"Uh oh!" Lita said. "I think Lucy tripped over something. I'll call you soon,  
  
Serenity."  
  
"All right. Goodbye, Lita."  
  
"Buh bye, Serenity!"  
  
"Click"  
  
Serenity placed the phone back to it's receiver and smiled to herself. She was  
  
glad that everything was so good.  
  
"Visitors!" The butler announced.  
  
Serenity quickly ran towards Darien's study. "Darien, We have visitors. I think  
  
it's Danny and Kate. They called yesterday."  
  
Darien grinned. "I wonder what they're up to."  
  
Serenity laughed. "Let's find out." She grabbed his hand and the two of them  
  
ran towards the parlor.  
  
"Serenity! Darien!" Danny said cheerfully.  
  
"Hello." Kate said.  
  
"Danny, how are you?" Serenity asked while hugging him and Kate.  
  
"What's the surprise, brother?" Darien asked suspiciously.  
  
"Ahahaha!" Danny laughed and placed one hand at back of his head. "Why do you  
  
ask, brother?" He asked.  
  
Kate giggled.  
  
"I see something in your face, Danny. Come on, spill it out." Darien said  
  
encouragingly.  
  
"Well..." Danny said shyly looking at Kate.  
  
"Well what?..." Serenity asked laughing.  
  
"We're getting married." Danny said softly.  
  
Serenity and Darien looked at each other and burst out laughing. "That's the  
  
news?" They asked incredulously.  
  
"Huh?" Danny asked confusedly. "How come you're not surprised?"  
  
"That's because you've been living together for how many years now, Danny? 2  
  
years!" Serenity laughed wiping the tears in her eyes. "And I thought it was  
  
something urgent."  
  
Darien nodded in agreement with his wife. "You see, brother. Serenity and I are  
  
already used to the idea that you two are already married even if you are not  
  
because you've been together for so long."  
  
Danny smiled. "Hehehe. Is that so?"  
  
Kate got her hat and covered her face which was really red.  
  
"What took you so long, Danny?" Darien asked.  
  
Danny looked confused for a second.  
  
"What took you so long to propose to her?" Serenity repeated Darien's question  
  
and made it more understandable.  
  
"Well..." Danny fidgeted around.  
  
Kate touched him and said kindly. "I'll answer for them, darling. Well, you  
  
remember that ring his father gave him. Well, it took Danny 2 years to make  
  
sure that I won't reject that ring and last month, I told him that I want to  
  
get married to him so he proposed to me immediately."  
  
"Oh, so that's why!" Darien said enthusiastically. "You know, me and Serenity  
  
are also going for a honeymoon." He said proudly.  
  
"Darien wants a baby girl." Serenity said turning red like Kate.  
  
"Um, isn't tomorrow your wedding anniversary?" Danny asked.  
  
"Yup." Darien said putting his arm around Serenity.  
  
"How come we didn't get any invitation?" Danny asked while pouting childishly.  
  
"That's because we're not going to have a party. We're going to have a family  
  
party. Me, Serenity and little Derick." Darien said happily.  
  
"I'm sorry, we should have informed you that." Serenity apologized.  
  
"No problem." Danny said smiling foolishly. "Well, anyway we wanted to give you  
  
our wedding invitation personally." He got a beautiful piece of card from his  
  
rectangular folder and gave it to Darien.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome. I'll be expecting to see you three in my wedding day, all  
  
right?" He asked demandingly.  
  
"Sure." Darien said.  
  
"In the front row."  
  
"All right already." Serenity laughed. "We'll be there."  
  
Danny looked at his watch. "It's already three. I've got to go, We still have a  
  
meeting with the cardinal."  
  
"See you at our wedding." Kate said while doing a curtsy.  
  
"Bye." Serenity said waving her hands towards the couple. "Take care."  
  
Darien looked at her lovingly. "You know, I was just wondering last night if  
  
Danny would ever propose to Kate." He said with a silly grin tugging on his  
  
lips.  
  
Serenity eyes opened wide. "That's strange, I was thinking of the same thing  
  
too." She said.  
  
"Maybe we're psychics." Darien said and the both of them laughed.  
  
It was their fourth wedding anniversary. Darien and Serenity spent the day  
  
eating a huge breakfast afterwards, they watched a famous opera sang by a  
  
beautiful young soprano.  
  
During lunch, they had a picnic near the river. Darien brought a huge basket  
  
filled with delicious pastries and different cold cuts. There was also an huge  
  
container of fruits.  
  
After they ate lunch, Darien and Serenity exchanged anniversary gifts.  
  
"This is my gift for you, Darien." Serenity said lovingly as she handed Darien  
  
a beautiful golden watch.  
  
Darien smiled happily and kissed Serenity on the lips. "Thank you, love." He  
  
said as he carefully put on the watch in his wrist.  
  
"Well, won't you ask me why I gave you a watch among all things?" Serenity  
  
asked.  
  
Darien grinned. "Okay. Why?"  
  
"Because every time you look at your new watch. You'll remember that I gave you  
  
that and that I'm thinking of you every second of each day." Serenity said  
  
sincerely.  
  
Darien smile got bigger. "I'll do that." He said then he took out a small black  
  
box in his jacket and gave it to Serenity.  
  
Serenity gave him a strange look. "Uh...Darien, you know that you already gave  
  
me too much jewelries, right?" She asked.  
  
"Darien laughed. "Right. Go on...open the box."  
  
Serenity still looked at him with the strange look on her face and accepted the  
  
small black box. She stared at it and then back to Darien's face.  
  
Darien gave her an encouraging look. "Go on." He said.  
  
Serenity slowly opened the soft box. What could it be? When the small box was  
  
opened. Her eyes widened and she looked at Darien.  
  
"Is this..." She whispered.  
  
"Yes, it's a key to our new house." Darien said.  
  
"But...we already have a castle."  
  
"You told me once that you would like to get away from here because it gave you  
  
so much bad memories and I thought...I'd buy you a new house and we'll fill it  
  
with happy memories with Derick and our future baby girl."  
  
Serenity's eyes watered. "I...I never thought that you would actually buy me a  
  
house...I only bought you a watch."  
  
Darien laughed and hugged his wife tightly. "I don't need anything except you,  
  
Serenity."  
  
"What happens to the castle?" She asked worriedly.  
  
"I'm lending it to Danny and his wife."  
  
Serenity laughed. "That's good."  
  
"Would you like to look at your new house, my love?"  
  
"Correction." Serenity said suddenly.  
  
Darien looked at her with a questioning look. "Huh?"  
  
Serenity smiled and placed her hand on his cheeks. "I would like to look at  
  
"our" new house, darling." She said softly.  
  
Darien kissed her nose and stood up. "Let's go?" He asked while helping  
  
Serenity stand up.  
  
"Of course." Serenity took his hand and they raced towards the car. Darien  
  
easily catch up with her and when he grabbed her waist, he tickled her.  
  
Serenity laughed and tried to tickle Darien back.  
  
The car stopped at a big yellow-colored cheerful house. It looked like it had 4  
  
floors and a big playground in front.  
  
"It's wonderful!" Serenity sighed. "This is the house of my dreams."  
  
Darien grabbed Serenity's hand.  
  
"Open the door." Darien said excitedly.  
  
Serenity looked at him and had to smile when she watched Darien. He was acting  
  
like a child who is so eager to play with a new toy.  
  
She got the key from the box and opened the door.  
  
"Wow." She gasped.  
  
The floor was carpeted and the curtains was so high and the view on the terrace  
  
was spectacular. It was a view of the city and the wind was so strong and it  
  
felt good when it hit her face.  
  
"I have something to show you." Darien said all of a sudden.  
  
"Oh Darien, this is so...wonderful." She sighed as Darien led her to the back  
  
side of the house. When he opened a small wooden door. It revealed a huge  
  
garden. If you can't imagine how huge it is. Well...think of it as a garden so  
  
big that you would get lost in it.  
  
Anyway, the garden was filled with different varieties of flowers especially  
  
roses. There were white, red and yellow roses. There was also other flowers  
  
that were unknown to her but nevertheless, they were still so beautiful.  
  
"Do you still remember that day when you said that you felt a thousand  
  
butterflies when you're around me?" Darien asked.  
  
Serenity nodded and smiled happily. "I didn't know that you still even  
  
remembered that."  
  
"I did." He said and he picked up a small piece of rock and threw it in the  
  
middle of the garden.  
  
Suddenly, butterflies emerged everywhere and flew around the garden.  
  
Serenity hugged Darien tightly. "Darien...this...there are a thousand  
  
butterflies here." She gasped as she watched the butterflies fly around them.  
  
"At that time..." Darien said. "I thought that comparing your feelings to me  
  
for butterflies were silly but now, I understand what you mean and you know  
  
what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I feel them in my stomach every morning when I wake up and I find you beside  
  
me or every night when I kiss you goodnight."  
  
"A thousand butterflies, huh?" Serenity asked with a smile.  
  
"Maybe more than that." Darien said lovingly as the night began to unfold and  
  
the butterflies were still flying around them.  
  
So, there it was. Two couples in a tight embrace surrounded by a thousand  
  
butterflies in paradise. A paradise where it holds a promise of new great  
  
memories for them.  
  
The End.  
  
Throughout pain and sadness, there is always happiness awaiting those people  
  
who try their best to find it.  
  
Yukinokawaiichan 


End file.
